Written Question·Department for Culture, Media and Sport·UIN 121647

Streaming: Television Licences

Tabled: 17 March 2026
Answered: 26 March 2026

Question

Shivani Raja

ConservativeLeicester East

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to prevent subscription-based streaming services from being brought within the scope of the TV licence fee.

Answer

Ian Murray
A TV licence is currently required to watch live TV, and to watch or download any BBC programme on iPlayer. Households are therefore already required to hold a TV licence to watch live TV on a subscription-based streaming service.The Government launched t...

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