asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will exempt from the increase in the television licence fee those viewers in the West Country who can only receive Welsh language programmes for part of the day.

No: it would not be practicable, or desirable, to adjust television licence fees for individual viewers according to the particular services each could obtain. The broadcasting authorities are, as the hon. Member knows, taking steps to reduce the dependence of certain places in the West Country on programmes from stations in Wales.