Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries explains why the decision has been made to freeze the BBC licence fee for the next two years. Read more about this story:
Earlier on Monday, the National Union of Journalists said the broadcaster was being used as a pawn to distract from the Downing Street lockdown party saga, which Mr Johnson is facing calls to resign over.
Ms Dorries said the BBC is a"beacon" but that the licence fee"is not a small amount of money" and is"regressive". The annual BBC licence payment normally changes on 1 April each year and is set by the government, which announced in 2016 it would rise in line with inflation for five years from 1 April 2017.Nadine Dorries said the move will help to keep household costs down at a time when the cost of living is risingIf the cost of the licence fee was not frozen and rose in line with inflation - currently at 5.1% - the total annual fee would be £167 from April.
"That's more money in the pockets of pensioners, the pockets of families who are struggling to make ends meet. "The BBC's income for UK services is already 30% lower in real terms than it was 10 years ago. We will set out the implications of the settlement later, before the end of the financial year, but it will necessitate tougher choices which will impact licence fee payers."
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