Television: Licensing

Mr. Bone
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what arrangements there are to refund the TV licence fee when people lose their television signals for more than a year.

Andy Burnham
[holding answer 25 January 2008]: Section 365(3) of the Communications Act 2003 gives the BBC a discretionary power to refund payments made in respect of a television licence. I understand the BBC has a policy of allowing refunds under certain circumstances. I have, therefore, asked the BBC's Head of Revenue Management to write direct to the hon. Member with further information.

Mr. Hunt
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment his Department has made of the level of public awareness and recognition of (a) the television licence fee and (b) the services paid for by the licence fee.

Andy Burnham
[holding answer 28 January 2008]: These matters were addressed fully in the BBC Charter review, which was completed in 2006. The results can be found on the Charter review website at:

http://www.bbccharterreview.org.uk.

Bob Russell
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will change the name of the television licensing fee to the BBC licensing fee.

Andy Burnham
I have no plans to do so.