§ The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tessa Jowell)On 10 February 2003,Official Report, column 35WS, the Government announed that from 1 April 2003, the fee for a colour television licence would rise to £116 and the black and white licence fee to £38.50. Later on today I will be laying before the House the regulations necessary to bring these new fees into force.
The new regulations also introduce preserved rights for beneficiaries of the Accommodation for Residential Care concessionary TV licence scheme whose accommodation ceases to meet the existing qualifying criteria, so long as it continues to be provided or managed by a local authority, a housing association or a development corporation.