Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department will take to ensure that (a) deaf and (b) elderly BBC licence fee payers will be adequately provided for by the BBC.

The BBC is editorially and operationally independent of the Government and the Government has no say on what programmes or services the BBC provides for deaf or elderly licence fee payers.

However, the Royal Charter requires the BBC to serve all audiences - including deaf and elderly licence fee payers - through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain.

With regard to elderly licence fee payers, the Government is disappointed with the BBC's decision to restrict the over 75 licence fee concession to only those in receipt of pension credit. We recognise the value of free TV licences for over-75s and believe they should be funded by the BBC.

For deaf licence fee payers, Ofcom is responsible for setting a Code on Television Access Services, which includes guidance which must be observed by the BBC in relation to providing subtitles and signing on its television channels. The Code sets out 10-year statutory targets for the BBC in relation to subtitling (100%) and signing (5%). Ofcom is currently reviewing how the BBC should make its UK Public Services accessible.