Motion · S5M-17713 · 12 Jun 2019
Conservatives Pass the Buck to Beeb
The motion
That the Parliament condemns the decision by the BBC to scrap the free TV licence for people over 75 who are not in receipt of pension credit despite the 2017 Conservative Party manifesto promise to “maintain” benefits for older people, “including free bus passes, eye tests, prescriptions and TV licences"; considers that this compounds the fact that, if you are a pensioner married to someone below pension age, you are also losing entitlement to Pension Credit; understands that, with approximately 40% of pensioners entitled to Pension Credit not claiming, there is £10 billion saved each year by the Treasury; considers that the UK Conservative administration can, from these unclaimed benefits, meet the £745 million each year to cover the cost of free licences for all over 75s in the Borders and Midlothian, and elsewhere, which it believes would be for viewers who are probably the most loyal to BBC programmes, and notes the calls on the UK Government, and whoever wins the Conservative Party leadership contest, to fund free TV licences for over 75s, which it considers to clearly be a “benefit”.
Supporters (13)
- Dr Alasdair Allan 13 Jun 2019
- Annabelle Ewing 13 Jun 2019
- Bill Kidd 13 Jun 2019
- Richard Lyle 13 Jun 2019
- Gillian Martin Scottish National Party 13 Jun 2019
- John Mason 13 Jun 2019
- Stuart McMillan Scottish National Party 13 Jun 2019
- Elaine Smith 13 Jun 2019
- Sandra White 13 Jun 2019
- Kenneth Gibson No Party Affiliation 16 Jun 2019
- Fulton MacGregor Scottish National Party 17 Jun 2019
- Neil Findlay 18 Jun 2019
- Clare Adamson Scottish National Party 19 Jun 2019
Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.