TV Licence Non-payment: Women Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
Lord Birt
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TV Licence Non-payment: Women
Lord Birt Excerpts(9 months, 4 weeks ago)
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Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con)
Ofcom, not the Government, regulates the provision of news, whatever channel people receive it on. The BBC receives some £3.8 billion in licence fee income; that income allows it to provide its important and impartial news, both at home and around the world.
Lord Birt (CB)
My Lords, this is indeed a troubling and concerning matter. Does the Minister think there is a case for moving the licence fee to a monthly payment, paid by standing order, in line with other broadcast subscriptions? At the moment, that would mean a payment of £13 per month.
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con)
The Simple Payment Plan does help people pay the television licence fee at present. As I say, we are looking at all the ways in which the BBC might receive its funding in the future, taking into account the declining number of people paying for a licence, but looking at all options to make sure that it has the revenue it needs to continue doing the work for which it is much admired.