§ Mr. CollinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals she has for a change in the cost of television licences for households in areas unable to receive(a) digital terrestrial television and (b) digital audio broadcasting. [119253]
§ Dr. HowellsThe Government have no such proposals. The television licence fee is a payment for permission to instal or use television to receive any television programme service and does not vary according to the range of services that can be received. In any case, the great majority of households which are unable to receive digital terrestrial broadcasts can receive the same channels, including all the BBC's licence fee funded digital services, via digital satellite.