§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether recent changes to the concessionary TV licence fee regulations will require people who are over 65, who previously had concessionary TV licences and who work part-time, to pay full rates; and if she will make a statement. [119381]
§ Estelle MorrisThe recent changes to the Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC) concessionary television licence scheme, to introduce preserved rights to the concession for existing beneficiaries, have not altered the categories of resident eligible for the concession. These are disabled persons, mentally disordered persons and retired persons aged 60 years or more. The BBC has statutory responsibility for the administration of the television licensing system, including responsibility for determining entitlement to the ARC concession in individual cases. However, I understand that residents aged 60 years or more who are either not in paid employment, are in paid employment but work no more than 15 hours per week,
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§ John ThursoTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many and what percentage of(a) people and (b) households in the United Kingdom (i) receive and (ii) can receive digital television by (A) digital terrestrial, (B) digital satellite, (C) digital cable and (D) other means, broken down by region. [119649]
§ Estelle MorrisThe information is not available in the form requested. The coverage information available from the Independent Television Commission is calculated using the 24 million UK households.
For the first quarter of 2003 the estimated UK figures are:
or are in paid employment but do not work in their lifetime career, are considered to fall within the category of retired persons aged 60 years or more.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether sheltered housing schemes which bought TV licences at full cost before 1 April will have the fees reimbursed to take account of recent changes in regulations; and if she will make a statement. [119382]
§ Estelle MorrisThe BBC has statutory responsibility for the administration of the television licensing system. This includes responsibility for determining refund policy. However, I understand that, in cases where residents in sheltered housing have obtained full fee licences but have since become entitled to preserved rights to the Accommodation for Residential Care concession, the BBC's policy is to offer refunds for full, unexpired calendar months from 1 April this year, when the amending regulations came into effect.