Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of providing free television licences to people over the age of 75 for qualifying residents in (a) Glasgow South West constituency, (b) Glasgow City local authority area and (c) Scotland in (i) 2017-18 and (ii) 2018-19.

The policy for free TV licences for those aged 75 and over is the responsibility of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport until the BBC takes responsibility in 2020.

The table below provides estimates of the costs for 2017/18 of providing free TV licences to people aged 75 years and over in the geographical areas requested, in nominal prices. The figures for 2018/19 will be available in September.