§ Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are employed at the National Television Licence Records Office; how many inquiry letters have been sent out in the last three years; how many of these letters receive no reply; how many unlicensed users have been traced by this method; whether detection vans are still used; and what is the total cost of the Records Office.
§ Mr. JohnOn 17th May 1976 a total of 675 Post Office staff were employed at the National Television Licence Records Office at Bristol. During the last three years to 31st March 1976 some 10.4 million inquiry letters were sent out 141W from both the National and Local Record Offices, of which a little under half did not receive a response. It is impossible to say how many unlicensed users have been traced by this method but it is estimated that about 2 million new licences, including monochrome licences exchanged for colour licences, followed upon inquiry letters. Television detector cars continue to be in daily use. The estimated total cost of the Records Office for 1975–76, including its enforcement work, is £6.3 million.