The BBC has issued the following statement in response to the DCMS Committee report into TV Licences for over 75s.

Responding to the DCMS Committee report into TV Licences for over 75s, Sir David Clementi, Chairman of the BBC, said:

“Under the 2015 agreement, the BBC was given responsibility for the policy, and related funding, of the concession for over 75s. We are pleased that the committee recognise that there was no automatic assumption that the BBC would continue to bear the cost of these free TV licences. There is also clear recognition from the committee that it would be unsustainable for the BBC to take on the full cost of all these free licences alone.

“The Committee report is also clear that the value of the licence fee will continue to be under pressure from inflation in the TV sector.

“The Committee say that the Government’s process in 2015 was flawed and we agree with this; it was never a process the BBC would have chosen. That’s why there must be a different way of doing things in the future. In terms of the agreement itself, we are satisfied that it was properly discussed within the BBC and properly authorised.

“We will continue to implement the decision we have taken - after extensive consultation - on over 75s licence fees with great care and responsibility.”