| answer text |
<p>The requirement to hold, and pay for, a TV Licence is set out in the Communications
Act 2003 and the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004.</p><p>Parliament
approved the BBC assuming the role of the TV Licensing Authority in 1991, and under
the Communications Act 2003, the BBC is authorised to collect and enforce the Licence
Fee by law on the government's behalf.</p><p>The TV licence fee was administered under
the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 until the passage of the 2003 Act.</p><p>The Ministry
of Justice currently publishes the number of prosecutions, convictions and sentencing
outcomes for the non-payment of TV licence fees annually as part of their criminal
justice statistics quarterly publications, which can be viewed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly</a></p><p>Figures
for each year since 2005 up to 2021 are available in the Outcomes by Offence data
tool, and can be found in the following tables:</p><p>2017-2021: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1076459/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2021-v2.xlsx"
target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1076459/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2021-v2.xlsx<br
/></a>2016: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1063880/outcomes-by-offence-2020-revised.xlsx"
target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1063880/outcomes-by-offence-2020-revised.xlsx<br
/></a>2005-2015: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524326/cjs-outcomes-by-offence.xlsx"
target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524326/cjs-outcomes-by-offence.xlsx</a></p><p>To
view the relevant figures in these tables, select ‘191A Television licence evasion’
in the Offence filter.</p><p>The number of people convicted for TV licence evasion
in the years between 1992 and 2004 can be found in the attached tables. Table 1 sets
out the number of convictions for television licence evasion in this period under
the Communications Act 2003. Table 2 sets out convictions for offences against the
Wireless Telegraphy Acts, 1949 to 1967 in the same period. While television licence
evasion was an offence under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949, the figures in Table
2 may include other offences under the specified Acts.</p>
|
|
