The Queen's Speech: Radio waves suffer windfall tax

Queen's Speech

Radio waves suffer windfall tax

An extra "windfall tax" from minicab companies, and mobile phone and pager networks breaks the link between licence fees and and the costs of the radio spectrum used by businesses. A Bill will enable the Government to auction off licences of radio frequencies for set periods in particularly congested areas. The legislation could add 50p a week to the cost of each minicab, and 10p a week to the cost of a mobile phone or pager. It is thought that this move could raise as much as pounds 1bn for the government. Sam Coates