Government announce television licence increases

The Government have announced the television licence fee increases effective from April 1 2003.
A colour licence will cost £116.00 and a black and white licence will cost £38.50.
The rate of increase is set according to the formula announced by the Government in February 2000, following a review of the future funding of the BBC by an independent review panel.
Tessa Jowell announced the changes today in a written statement to the House of Commons. She said: “On 21 February 2000, the Government announced its conclusions on the recommendations of the independent review panel on the future funding of the BBC. In addition to a range of measures designed to improve BBC efficiency and accountability, the Government introduced a new funding formula providing for changes in the licence fee of RPI plus 1.5 per cent for each year from 2000-2001 to 2006-2007. This formula will enable the BBC to provide a strong and distinctive schedule of high quality programmes and remain at the forefront of broadcasting technology.
“Application of the RPI figure of 1.7% for the year to September 2002, plus 1.5%, to the current unrounded licence fees produces new rounded totals of £116.00 for a colour licence and £38.50 for a black and white licence. The necessary regulations to bring these fees into force will be laid before the House in due course.”
(GB)