Supported by: Bill Kidd*, David Torrance*, Richard Lyle*, Sandra White*, Stewart Stevenson*, Joan McAlpine*, Emma Harper*, Alex Rowley* *S5M-13606 Keith Brown: Action Required on Television Programme Licensing That the — Parliament notes that, under current legislation, retail outlets showing television programmes in areas such as waiting rooms are expected to pay for licensing over and above the television license to companies that represent the producers of content shown; considers that, in these cases, the showing of television programmes is not the central aspect of these businesses' activities, and believes that it would therefore be wrong to consider having a television on in such circumstances for an event or performance; further considers that the whole point of a television licence, if there is one, should be to allow television programmes to be viewed by those paying for a licence, including businesses that have television on in the background or in waiting room-type scenarios; objects to companies claiming to represent film and television programme producers contacting small businesses, such as hairdressers, demanding payment for having a television on in waiting areas for which a television licence has already been paid for, and calls on the UK Government to take action to protect these businesses and accept that television channels pay for the use of such content and that it is absurd to have a situation where small businesses are effectively being shaken down for further payments by companies claiming to act for programme producers when they have already paid for a television license for precisely this privilege.