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Television Licence Fees
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if she will estimate the additional cost of reducing the level of the colour TV licence fee to the same level as the black and white TV licence fee for pensioners in receipt of means-tested state support;[30839]
- (2) what plans she has to increase the concessions available to retired people for colour television licences. [30838]
Mr. Sproat: The Government have no plans to extend the existing concessionary television licence scheme. This would lead to a reduction in television licence revenue, on which the BBC depends for its home broadcasting grant. To make good the shortfall, we would have to increase the licence fee for all other licence payers, regardless of their means. The additional cost of providing
5 Jun 1996 : Column: 502
colour licences at £30--the current black and white licence fee--for all pensioners in receipt of one or more means tested benefit would be approximately £165 million.
White Paper
Sir Cranley Onslow: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she now expects to publish a Heritage White Paper. [31012]
Mr. Sproat: The consultation document, "Protecting Our Heritage" was published on 22 May. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.
Disabled Employees
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many registered disabled people are employed by her Department; and what percentage this is of the total figures. [30773]
Mr. Sproat: A central record of disabled people in the Department of National Heritage shows that there are nine currently in employment. This represents 2.7 per cent. of the total staff in post in the Department. We no longer differentiate between registered and non-registered disabled people in our central records.
Television Violence
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consultations her Department held with the Home Office in preparing the provisions of the Broadcasting Bill concerning the depiction of violence on television. [30508]
Mr. Sproat [holding answer 4 June 1996]: Policy responsibility for broadcasting issues rests with my Department. Consultations were held with a number of other Government Departments in the course of preparing the provisions of the Broadcasting Bill; there was no policy matter in the Bill in respect of the depiction of violence on television requiring consultation with the Home Office.