Committee Chair response to the BBC's announcement to end delay to over 75s licence fee implementation
9 July 2020
DCMS Committee Chair Julian Knight MP said:
“At what is already a very difficult time, this will be a body blow to millions of British pensioners. I had hoped that the previous delay announced would lead to the government and BBC coming together in order to thrash out a fresh deal. However, that has clearly not happened.
“This mess is a result of a poor decision struck by the outgoing Director-General and now Britain's pensioners are having to pick up the cost.
“The BBC wants people to be reassured that they can use an online ‘Covid-safe' payment system to buy their licence. This takes little account of those over 75 not online, many of whom have only just been allowed to leave their homes and who might still be afraid to do so.”
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