At present, the television licence fee is essentially a tax on being middle-aged and of settled address. Those over 75 are excused it altogether, and the young legally avoid it by not watching any programme live. The idea that it is important to view programmes live is a cultural one that has not survived into Generation Y. “Hurry up, it’s starting!” my father used to shout down the stairs, as if we were at the theatre.

Nowadays, people under the age of 35 just pick up the BBC (and other TV programmes) on their computer as and when.

So it seems unfair that people like me (aged 59) keep on paying for the BBC, whether we like it or not (I don’t) while our juniors escape doing so.

The BBC – supported, strangely, by the Government – has a plan to force everyone using its iPlayer to pay the licence fee, using a pin number or log-in to enforce it.