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Dept for Culture Media and Sport

Answer

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list (a) the cost and (b) the number of holders of (i) the wireless licence and (ii) the TV licence in each year of their operation. [48372] Dr. Howells: The radio licence was introduced in 1922 and the television licence in 1946. Information on the number of licences in force prior to 1947 is not readily available. The information requested is as follows. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Year Radio licence fee Radio licences in Mono television Colour television Television licences force as at 31 licence fee licence fee in force as at 31 March (millions) March (millions) 1922 10s -- -- -- -- 1946 10s -- £2.00 -- -- 1947 £1.00 10.8 £2.00 -- 0.015 1948 £1.00 11.1 £2.00 -- 0.046 1949 £1.00 11.6 £2.00 -- 0.127 1950 £1.00 11.8 £2.00 -- 0.344 1951 £1.00 11.5 £2.00 -- 0.764 1952 £1.00 11.2 £2.00 -- 1.4 1953 £1.00 10.7 £2.00 -- 2.1 1954 £1.00 10.1 £2.00 -- 3.2 1955 £1.00 9.4 £2.00 -- 4.5 1956 £1.00 8.5 £4.00 -- 5.7 1957 £1.00 7.5 £4.00 -- 7.0 1958 £1.00 6.5 £4.00 -- 8.1 1959 £1.00 5.4 £4.00 -- 9.3 1960 £1.00 4.5 £4.00 -- 10.5 1961 £1.00 3.9 £4.00 -- 11.3 1962 £1.00 3.5 £4.00 -- 11.8 1963 £1.00 3.2 £4.00 -- 12.4 1964 £1.00 3.0 £4.00 -- 12.9 1965 £1 5s 2.8 £5.00 -- 13.3 1966 £1 5s 2.6 £5.00 -- 13.6 1967 £1 5s 2.5 £5.00 -- 14.3 1968 £1 5s 2.5 £5.00 £10.00 15.1 1969 £1 5s 2.4 £6.00 £11.00 15.5 1970 £1 5s 2.3 £6.00 £11.00 15.9 1971 -- -- £7.00 £12.00 15.9 1972 -- -- £7.00 £12.00 16.7 1973 -- -- £7.00 £12.00 17.1 1974 -- -- £7.00 £12.00 17.3 1975 -- -- £8.00 £18.00 17.7 1976 -- -- £8.00 £18.00 17.8 1977 -- -- £9.00 £21.00 18.1 1978 -- -- £10.00 £25.00 18.1 1979 -- -- £12.00 £34.00 18.4 1980 -- -- £12.00 £34.00 18.3 1981 -- -- £15.00 £46.00 18.7 1982 -- -- £15.00 £46.00 18.6 1983 -- -- £15.00 £46.00 18.5 1984 -- -- £15.00 £46.00 18.6 1985 -- -- £18.00 £58.00 18.7 1986 -- -- £18.00 £58.00 18.7 1987 -- -- £18.00 £58.00 19.0 1988 -- -- £21.00 £62.50 19.4 1989 -- -- £22.00 £66.00 19.4 1990 -- -- £24.00 £71.00 19.6 1991 -- -- £25.50 £77.00 19.5 1992 -- -- £26.50 £80.00 19.6 1993 -- -- £27.50 £83.00 20.1 1994 -- -- £28.00 £84.50 20.4 1995 -- -- £28.50 £86.50 21.1 1996 -- -- £30.00 £89.50 21.1 1997 -- -- £30.50 £91.50 21.3 1998 -- -- £32.50 £97.50 21.7 1999 -- -- £33.50 £101.00 22.2 2000 -- -- £34.50 £104.00 22.6 2001 -- -- £36.50 £109.00 22.8 2002 -- -- £37.50 £112.00 -- _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

48372; 383 c329-30W

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Broadcasting Prices Radio Telecommunications Television licences

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk