Licence fee injustice

SINCE I am in the right age bracket, I obtained a copy of the BBC’s 54 pages of proposals to charge a licence fee for the over-75s.

In it, the BBC explains it needs to increase its income and expand its coverage to compete with other broadcasters, claims to have implemented all possible costcutting exercises and sets out why it spends millions a year on salaries for its top presenters.

It says it is unfair that other viewers are subsidising the over-75s. But that is the basis of any welfare system. Removing the free TV licence for over-75s is an attack on pensioners.

I have been disappointed, but not surprised, by the lack of response from ministers who claim to care about the welfare of the elderly. But here’s one more statistic from the BBC document: 18 per cent of viewers are over 75. That’s a lot of votes.

P. MACHIN, Walderslade, Kent.

The BBC needs to become a subscription-only service, so that those who want it can pay for it.

If the continuation of certain radio services are deemed essential (though only the news, weather and shipping forecasts fall into this category), they could be supported by a much lower-cost licence paid for by the working population — if the Government decided not to fund it.

Roy Kennedy, Bedford.