Contributions
824 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sYes. As I have said, I will continue to have those conversations. As my hon. Friend will recognise, there were other ways in which the BBC could have approached this issue—even if…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sThis is the BBC’s responsibility. It is not shifting the blame to say so; it is pretty much quoting word for word what the Digital Economy Act 2017 says. What we should now do is…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sI think that the hon. Gentleman has slightly overstated his case, but if he is concerned about the value of promises, let me say to him that I am still waiting to hear from any…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sMy hon. Friend has heard me say that I think one of the things that the BBC must always have an eye on is the need to control salary levels, which, as he says, the people who are…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sI was not present at those discussions, but it is very clear, is it not, that if someone wants to know roughly how much the financial obligation they are taking on will be, there…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sI am not here to speak for any leadership contender; I am here to speak for the Government, and the Government have the responsibility to make sure the BBC carries out its…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sI share my hon. Friend’s disappointment, for the reasons that she has given, and the answer to her second question is yes.11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sYes, and I hope that as a result of this debate about the licence fee concession many people who are entitled to pension credit but are not claiming it may have their attention…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sI do not know what caused the change of view. There has been a gradual process—a transition—during which public subsidy has diminished and the BBC’s responsibility for covering…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sAs I have said, the Government’s view as to what we expected of the BBC was clear. It was expressed clearly a number of times, including by me and indeed by the Prime Minister.…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sMy hon. Friend makes a fair point, but it is important that the BBC does everything it can—we will assist it in the process—to ensure that the scenario he outlines does not…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sThe right hon. Gentleman knows that the process is in statute. If the Government were to seek to pursue a different course, we would have to bring further primary legislation…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sI am afraid the hon. Lady is wrong. It is the BBC’s responsibility to decide what to do about the licence fee concession; it says so in the Digital Economy Act 2017. As it…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sAs my hon. Friend knows, the question of replacing the licence fee with a subscription model or any other model was considered relatively recently and the licence fee model was…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sNo, of course not. More to the point, if the hon. Lady is concerned about loneliness—I accept in good faith that she is—I hope she recognises that the Government have taken…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sAs I have made clear, this decision is not for the Government to make any longer; it is for the BBC. We made clear our expectations before the decision was taken; I have made my…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sI shall certainly continue to engage with the BBC and to continue to ask it to live within its means and provide the services that my hon. Friend and I both want to see it provide…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sWell, I do not know whether that is a way to deal with the whole issue, as the hon. Gentleman suggests, but he is right to point out that since the licence fee settlement, the…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sMy hon. Friend makes an interesting suggestion. He will know that one of the options that the BBC considered and consulted on was raising the threshold from 75 to 80. I appreciate…11 Jun 2019HANSARDFree TV Licences: Over-75sOf course, we want to make sure, in conjunction with the BBC, that everything that can be done to make sure that people do not find themselves in that position is done. The BBC…11 Jun 2019