§ 2.37 p.m.
LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made over the last 12 months—or other convenient period—in dealing with the widespread evasion of radio and television licences, and in particular with unlicensed sets in motor vehicles.]
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, the best way I can answer the noble Lord is by recounting in tabular form the increase or decrease in the numbers of licences for the twelve months May, 1965, to May, 1966, and May, 1966, to May, 1967, so that he can compare the results for the two periods. My right honourable friend the Postmaster General has intensified the existing measures against licence evasion, and Her Majesty's Government's proposed further measures are contained in the Wireless Telegraphy Bill.
§ The following is the table:
§ colleagues reported a year ago. Just to round off her reply, can the noble Baroness make any comment on the figure given us last year, as the best estimate then available, that there was something like £10 million worth of revenue being 351 lost on radio licences? Can she say, too, whether in fact the Department have succeeded in augmenting the number of detector vans which were then available? Do these improved figures reflect the results of having a greater number of active detector vans?
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, the figure referred to by the noble Lord was mainly for television licences, and it would be correct to say that this was one of the reasons why my right honourable friend sought to introduce the Wireless Telegraphy Bill. Replying in another place, my right honourable friend said that it was not possible to estimate how many of the increased licences were for new sets, and how many were in respect of sets which had been detected as not being licensed. But the situation is considered to be better, and the number of detector vans has been doubled.
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, can the noble Baroness say how many transistor radios are sold? Do these require licences? Is it not a fact that nearly every teenager in the country owns one; and can the noble Lady say what proportion of these are believed to have licences?
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, I have no precise figures of the number of transistor sets sold. No doubt I can get some information for the noble Lord, and I shall be happy to do so. Transistor sets are liable for licence. There appears to be some confusion abroad that if a transistor set is used in a car it does not need to be licensed. It has to be licensed, in any case, and a car radio also has to be licensed, if it is part of a car. I will endeavour to get the figures for the noble Lord.