The tradition secretary has stated she is worried the deliberate 9% rise within the BBC licence charge is “very high” and that the BBC should stay “value for money”.
Lucy Frazer stated the federal government needed to make sure the licence charge rises by an “appropriate amount” amid the continuing value of residing disaster.
The licence charge is presently £159 per 12 months however is because of improve by 9% or £15 to £173.30 in April.
Asked by Sky News’s Kay Burley whether or not the deliberate rise wouldn’t occur as a result of authorities’s issues, Ms Frazer replied: “I’m concerned that that’s a very high level.
“It’s a choice that I’m wanting in the mean time and we’ll be making an announcement on this very shortly.”
Pressed once more on whether or not the rise wouldn’t go forward, Ms Frazer replied: “Well, I’m concerned about that level of rise. So it’s something that we’re looking at very carefully.”
Ms Frazer stated that though she believed the BBC supplied a “fantastic service” and was an “amazing tool for soft power”, the “media landscape is changing” and the licence charge should be “fair to people”.
She stated 400,000 folks didn’t renew their licence charges final 12 months and that is why she was additionally “doing a broader review on the licence fee in the round and how we should fund the BBC”.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak instructed reporters over the weekend that the BBC needs to be “realistic about what it can expect people to pay at a time like this”.
“I think it is welcome that the BBC are looking at making savings and efficiencies in how they operate,” he stated.
“It’s really important that when things are difficult everyone is doing what they can to ease the cost of living on families.
“That’s actually what I’ve performed over the past 12 months and made a bunch of selections that have not been simple, however that is helped to carry inflation right down to ease the burden and the price of residing.
“The BBC like any other organisation that serves the public should be looking to do that and cut its cloth appropriately so I think that is very welcome.”
He added: “Final decisions haven’t been taken obviously – but the BBC should be realistic about what it can expect people to pay at a time like this.”
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The authorities is presently whether or not to switch the £159-a-year licence charge with a brand new funding mannequin after 2027, when the BBC’s present Royal Charter ends.
The licence charge is because of begin rising once more with inflation from April after a two-year freeze.
Non-payment of the licence charge is a criminal offense and is enforced by door-stepping inspectors.
Almost 1,000 folks per week – seven out of 10 of whom are ladies – are prosecuted for evasion.
Asked whether or not pensioners needs to be “locked up if they don’t pay their licence fee”, Ms Frazer stated: “I’m not in favour of criminalisation and it’s one of the things that we will be looking at in the charter review.”
Source: information.sky.com”