TELEVISION AND RADIO LICENCES (Figures)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Teong Eng Siong asked the Minister for Culture how many (i) television licences; and (ii) radio licences were issued during the year ending 28th February, 1973.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture (Encik Sha'ari Bin Tadin) (for the Minister for Culture): Mr Speaker, Sir, the number of television licences issued during the year ended 28th February, 1973, totalled 210,000. This number includes an estimated figure for the month of February, 1973. Of this number, 28,800 are new licences issued during this period, and 181,200 are renewals of old licences.

A television licence will enable the licensee, members of his family and domestic servants residing at the same address, to use any number of TV and radio receivers, including portable transistor sets. It is not possible to indicate how many of these 210,000 TV licensees own radio sets as well. However, from the experience of the Inland Revenue Department, it is known that almost every household which owns a TV set would have in addition one or two more radio sets.

The number of radio licences issued during the year ended 28th February, 1973, totalled approximately 70,000. This number includes an estimated figure for the month of February 1973. Of this number, about 35,000 are car radio licences and 35,000 are household radio licences. Of the 35,000 car radio licences, 10,000 are new car radio licences and 25,000 are renewals of old car radio licences. Of the 35,000 household radio licences, 4,800 are new radio licences and 30,200 are renewals of old radio licences. A household radio licence will enable the licensee, members of his family and domestic servants residing at the same address, to use any number of radio receivers, including portable transistor sets. A separate licence is required for every radio and television receiver installed in a vehicle, vessel or aircraft registered in Singapore. A radio licence is $12 per annum whereas a television licence is $36 per annum. A radio licence may be converted to a television licence on payment of an additional $24.