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1547351

registered interest
date	01/12/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Television Licences: Non-payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many pensioners have been prosecuted for non-payment of the TV Licence fee in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Ashfield
tabling member printed	Lee Anderson
uin	101060
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2022 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>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 2022 are available in the Outcomes by Offence data tool, and can be found in the following dataset:</p><ul><li><p>2018-2022: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1118314/outcomes-by-offence-june-2022.xlsx" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1118314/outcomes-by-offence-june-2022.xlsx</a></p></li></ul><p>To view the relevant figures in these tables, select ‘191A Television licence evasion’ in the Offence filter. These figures can be refined further by age to identify an age range of 70+, it is impossible to provide the data for 'pensioners' as that is a diverse group that cannot be filtered purely by age.</p><p>The data for individuals aged 70+ are the following:</p><ul><li><p>​2022 - 260 proceeded against &amp; 217 sentenced</p></li><li><p>2021 - 238 proceeded against &amp; 207 sentenced</p></li><li><p><del class="ministerial">2022</del> <ins class="ministerial">2020 </ins>- 329 proceeded against &amp; 288 sentenced</p></li></ul><p>Alternative data does also show no Over 75s have been prosecuted and that none of the prosecutions have resulted in custodial sentences.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 07/12/2022 16:17:04 question first ministerially corrected 15/12/2022 09:17:36 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez previous answer version 40369 answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4743 label Biography information for Lee Anderson

1536827

registered interest
date	27/10/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Television Licences: Non-payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department collected in TV licensing fines in the last year; and what proportion of that money was from over 75s.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	73099
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2022 answer text <p>The BBC is responsible for the collection and enforcement of the licence fee, not the government. The Government is therefore not involved in TV Licensing operations. HM Courts &amp; Tribunals Service is responsible for collecting and enforcing financial penalties imposed by the courts which includes fines imposed for the non-payment of a TV licence.</p><p>In 2021, 49,126 people were proceeded against by HM Courts &amp; Tribunals Service for non-payment of the licence fee, and 44,364 were fined. The BBC has recently confirmed that no enforcement or prosecution action has been taken against over-75s who previously held a free licence and therefore no over-75s have been fined. The Department does not hold data on the amount collected from TV licensing fines and will engage with relevant departments to follow up with this information.</p><p>The Government is independent from the BBC, and any decision to suspend enforcement action by TV Licensing, or assessment of the impact of this decision, would be a matter for the BBC. Given the BBC’s independence it would not be appropriate for the government to seek to intervene in operational decisions on enforcement action. Nonetheless, the government expects the BBC to collect the licence fee in an efficient and proportionate manner, and to treat all vulnerable people with sensitivity in doing so.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez grouped question UIN 72945 73100 question first answered 03/11/2022 11:40:33 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

1536828

registered interest
date	27/10/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Television Licences: Non-payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the potential lost revenue in TV licensing fines if non-payment prosecutions were paused during the cost-of-living crisis.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Chris Elmore
uin	73100
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2022 answer text <p>The BBC is responsible for the collection and enforcement of the licence fee, not the government. The Government is therefore not involved in TV Licensing operations. HM Courts &amp; Tribunals Service is responsible for collecting and enforcing financial penalties imposed by the courts which includes fines imposed for the non-payment of a TV licence.</p><p>In 2021, 49,126 people were proceeded against by HM Courts &amp; Tribunals Service for non-payment of the licence fee, and 44,364 were fined. The BBC has recently confirmed that no enforcement or prosecution action has been taken against over-75s who previously held a free licence and therefore no over-75s have been fined. The Department does not hold data on the amount collected from TV licensing fines and will engage with relevant departments to follow up with this information.</p><p>The Government is independent from the BBC, and any decision to suspend enforcement action by TV Licensing, or assessment of the impact of this decision, would be a matter for the BBC. Given the BBC’s independence it would not be appropriate for the government to seek to intervene in operational decisions on enforcement action. Nonetheless, the government expects the BBC to collect the licence fee in an efficient and proportionate manner, and to treat all vulnerable people with sensitivity in doing so.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez grouped question UIN 72945 73099 question first answered 03/11/2022 11:40:33 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4572 label Biography information for Chris Elmore

1536931

registered interest
date	27/10/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Television Licences: Non-payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of preventing TV Licensing from prosecuting people who are unable to pay their TV licences during the period of increased cost of living.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	72945
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2022 answer text <p>The BBC is responsible for the collection and enforcement of the licence fee, not the government. The Government is therefore not involved in TV Licensing operations. HM Courts &amp; Tribunals Service is responsible for collecting and enforcing financial penalties imposed by the courts which includes fines imposed for the non-payment of a TV licence.</p><p>In 2021, 49,126 people were proceeded against by HM Courts &amp; Tribunals Service for non-payment of the licence fee, and 44,364 were fined. The BBC has recently confirmed that no enforcement or prosecution action has been taken against over-75s who previously held a free licence and therefore no over-75s have been fined. The Department does not hold data on the amount collected from TV licensing fines and will engage with relevant departments to follow up with this information.</p><p>The Government is independent from the BBC, and any decision to suspend enforcement action by TV Licensing, or assessment of the impact of this decision, would be a matter for the BBC. Given the BBC’s independence it would not be appropriate for the government to seek to intervene in operational decisions on enforcement action. Nonetheless, the government expects the BBC to collect the licence fee in an efficient and proportionate manner, and to treat all vulnerable people with sensitivity in doing so.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez grouped question UIN 73099 73100 question first answered 03/11/2022 11:40:33 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1535491

registered interest
date	24/10/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Television Licences: Non-payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether it is her policy to decriminalise the non-payment of the TV Licence fee.
tabling member constituency	York Outer
tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
uin	69614
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2022 answer text <p>The Government consulted on decriminalisation of TV licence evasion in 2020, and published its response in January 2021. The response to the consultation shows that a significant number of people oppose the criminal sanction with some highlighting the considerable stress and anxiety it can cause for individuals, including the most vulnerable in society, such as older people.</p><p>However, the consultation also identified that changing the sanction for TV licence evasion would have wide-ranging impacts for licence fee payers, as well as potentially leading to a significant increase in fines for those evading payment.</p><p>The Government therefore decided to keep the issue of decriminalisation under consideration.</p><p>More broadly, it is necessary to look at the BBC’s funding model as a whole to ensure it is sustainable in the long-term. The Government will set out further detail on its plans regarding the future of the licence fee in due course.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 27/10/2022 14:16:59 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1523393

registered interest
date	18/10/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Television Licences: Non-payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many people were convicted for not paying their TV license under the provisions of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 since 1992.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	65608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2022 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> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 24/10/2022 16:37:09 question first ministerially corrected 25/10/2022 16:09:44 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez attachment 1 file name PQ 65608 table final.pdf title Table outlining information sources previous answer version 26685 answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

1520521

registered interest
date	11/10/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Television Licences: Non-payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many people (a) have been (i) fined, (ii) arrested and (iii) imprisoned for non payment of their television licence in each of the last three years and (b) are subject to legal action for non payment of their television licence.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Dan Carden
uin	61311
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2022 answer text <p>The maximum penalty for non-payment of the TV licence fee is a fine. A person cannot receive a custodial sentence for TV licence evasion but can be committed to prison for wilfully refusing to pay the fine or culpably neglecting to pay. Imprisonment is only pursued as a matter of last resort.</p><p>In 2019, 122,603 people were proceeded against for non-payment of the licence fee. Of these, 113,002 people were fined. The number of people admitted to prison for failing to pay fines in respect of the non-payment of a TV licence in England and Wales in 2019 was two or fewer (the actual number has not been released in order to protect against personal identification).</p><p>In 2020, 53,301 people were proceeded against, and 49,948 were fined. In 2021, 49,126 people were proceeded against, and 44,364 were fined. In 2020 and 2021, there were no admissions into prison associated with failing to pay a fine in respect of the non-payment of a TV licence in England and Wales.</p><p>We do not hold data on the number of people arrested for non-payment of a fine which relates to non-payment of their television licence.</p><p>The information on prosecutions, convictions and sentencing outcomes is published online in the Outcomes by Offence data tool, available <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2021" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 18/10/2022 08:52:05 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4651 label Biography information for Dan Carden

1353753

registered interest
date	08/09/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Television Licences: Non-payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with refence to David Perry QC's TV Licence Fee Enforcement Review, published 2015, what steps his Department took to implement the recommendation that gender disparity in TV licence prosecutions be the subject of investigation and consideration in the BBC Charter Review.
tabling member constituency	East Renfrewshire
tabling member printed	Kirsten Oswald
uin	45323
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2021 answer text <p>In the White Paper ‘A BBC for the future: a broadcaster of distinction’ published in 2016, the government considered the findings of the Perry Review and agreed with its assessment that the current regime represents a broadly fair and proportionate response to the problem of licence fee evasion and provides good value for money (both for licence fee payers and taxpayers).</p><p>The White Paper set out that, as part of the Charter Review process, the government saw evidence from the BBC that it was looking to address the recommendations from the Perry Review, including further work on gender disparity.</p><p>TV Licensing subsequently completed a review of the gender disparity in TV licence evasion prosecutions and published a Gender Disparity Report in 2017. The report explored some of the reasons why a gender imbalance exists but noted that there is no evidence of any discriminatory enforcement practices on the part of TV Licensing.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 15/09/2021 08:19:29 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4413 label Biography information for Kirsten Oswald

1353324

registered interest
date	07/09/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Television Licences: Non-payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the reasons for the gender imbalance in people prosecuted for TV licence evasion identified by the TV Licence Fee Enforcement Review conducted by David Perry QC.
tabling member constituency	East Renfrewshire
tabling member printed	Kirsten Oswald
uin	44371
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2021 answer text <p>TV Licensing completed a review of the gender disparity in TV licence evasion prosecutions and published a Gender Disparity Report in 2017. The report explored some of the reasons why a gender imbalance exists but noted that there is no evidence of any discriminatory enforcement practices on the part of TV Licensing.</p><p>The government also noted its concern about the ongoing gender disparity of prosecutions for TV licence evasion in the consultation on decriminalisation of TV licence evasion launched in 2020.</p><p>The government is keeping the issue of decriminalisation under active consideration as part of the wider roadmap of reform of the BBC.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 15/09/2021 08:09:30 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4413 label Biography information for Kirsten Oswald

1353326

registered interest
date	07/09/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Television Licences: Non-payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has taken to help ensure that the BBC change the tone and content of its written communications with households as recommended in the TV Licence Fee Enforcement Review conducted by David Perry QC.
tabling member constituency	East Renfrewshire
tabling member printed	Kirsten Oswald
uin	44373
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2021 answer text <p>The BBC and TV Licensing are independent of the government and the government has no say over their day-to-day decisions, including the content and tone of their written communications with households.</p><p>Under the Royal Charter, it is for the BBC Board to ensure that arrangements for the collection of the licence fee are efficient, appropriate and proportionate.</p><p>As noted in the consultation on decriminalisation of TV licence evasion, the government remains concerned about the considerable stress and anxiety that TV Licensing communications and the criminal sanction can cause for individuals.</p><p>The government is keeping the issue of decriminalisation under active consideration as part of the wider roadmap of reform of the BBC.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale grouped question UIN 44374 question first answered 15/09/2021 08:14:58 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4413 label Biography information for Kirsten Oswald