BBC

Debate between Mick Whitley and John Whittingdale

Tuesday 21st July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Whittingdale]

I agree with my hon. Friend. In the service that the BBC provides across the UK, in all the different communities, it is absolutely essential that it tries to sustain support for the licence fee and does not just serve the metropolitan elite in London and Manchester. I am very much aware that communities like those in Cleethorpes are beginning to feel that the BBC is not providing sufficiently for them, and I hope the BBC will take that into account.

[Mick Whitley (Birkenhead) (Lab)]

At the general election in 2019, the Conservative party manifesto stated:

“We recognise the value of free TV licences for over-75s and believe they should be funded by the BBC.”

Only months later, over 4.5 million elderly people learned that they are to lose their free TV licence. The question—many people want to know the answer—is: what did the Government do to try to save the free TV licence scheme? Is it now time to recognise that the free TV licence for over-75s is a public good and should be funded by the Government?

[Mr Whittingdale]

I absolutely stand by the wording of the 2019 manifesto. It remains the case that the Government recognise the value of these licences and believe that the BBC should have maintained them. We made that amply clear to the BBC. Ultimately, however, Parliament agreed that the decision should rest with the BBC.