Digital Economy Act 2017 (Amendment) Bill [HL]

Key Points

• It amends the Digital Economy Act 2017 to determine TV licence concessions by reference to age.
• Originates in the Lords (HL) and is a Lords-only measure.
• Current stage: 2nd reading in the Lords, with future progression to Committee and Report stages if advanced.
• During the 2016 Report Stage, related new clauses on age-based concessions were debated and defeated in the Lords.
• Support for the amendments came from Labour, SNP, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and Independents; Conservative and Reform UK opposed.

Progress

The bill is at the 2nd Reading in the Lords. It has previously seen debates on age-based concession amendments in 2016, which were defeated; it would proceed through Committee and Report stages if progressed.

Voting

In the 2016 Report Stage, the proposed clauses were defeated (for example 220 Aye to 267 No for New Clause 8, 221 Aye to 277 No for New Clause 27, and 181 Aye to 278 No for New Clause 10). Labour, SNP, Lib Dem, Plaid Cymru and Independents supported the amendments, while Conservatives and Reform UK opposed.