§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many residents of Dumfries and Galloway are in receipt of free television licences; and how many residents are entitled to this benefit on age grounds. [46976]
§ Dr. HowellsTV Licensing, which administers the free television licence scheme for the BBC as Licensing Authority, is not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, estimates based on the 1991 Census indicate that there were approximately 10,700 people aged 75 or over in the constituencies of Dumfries and Galloway and Upper Nithsdale.
§ Mr. LetwinTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will award concessionary television licences to the partially-sighted. [48016]
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§ Dr. HowellsNo. The independent review panel on the future funding of the BBC, which reported in 1999, considered the concessionary arrangements but recommended the introduction only of a 50 per cent. reduction in the licence fee for registered blind people. We have implemented that recommendation but have no plans to extend the concession.