§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the number of successful prosecutions for citizens band offences in each police area over the last five years.
The Under-Secretary of State for Trade and IndustryThe information is not available in the form requested. However, the number of persons successfully prosecuted for offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 involving citizens' band radio apparatus in each of the last five years is as follows:
Number 1979 91 1980 457 1981 855 1982 2,299 1983 445
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the number of prosecutions for (a) illegal use of AM citizens band sets, (b) unlicensed use of FM citizens band sets and (c) sale of illegal AM citizens band sets in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. ButcherThe number of persons prosecuted for offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 involving AM and FM CB apparatus in each of the last five years is as follows: 357W
AM CB FM CB 1979 93 Nil 1980 471 Nil 1981 879 Nil 1982 2,310 25 1983 1,404 66 It is not an offence under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 to sell AM CB apparatus.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any proposals for monitoring citizens band transmissions, both legal and illegal.
§ Mr. ButcherThe RIS monitors the CB channels as part of its investigation of complaints of interference to broadcast reception and the emergency services from the illicit use of CB apparatus. It undertakes monitoring of the CB channels to check for general unlicensed use when it can do so without prejudice to the task of dealing with interference, which must remain its priority.
§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will in future issue separate licences for the usage of citizens band radio equipment in respect of the 27 MHz. frequency and the 934 MHz. frequency; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ButcherThe 934 MHz CB service is still in the early stages of its development and it is therefore too soon to say whether separate licensing arrangements for this and the 27MHz service are necessary.
§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken to move existing users from the frequencies recommended by CEPT for citizens band use; and by what date he expects such moves to be completed.
§ Mr. ButcherAlternative frequencies have already been made available for some services currently occupying the lower part of the 27 MHz band, but the timing of some of the other moves involved may have to await the availability in 1985 of the frequencies currently being used for 405-line TV. As the present services will have to be given adequate time to change or modify their equipment, it will be some while before the band concerned can be given over to CB radio in accordance with the CEPT recommendation. It is not possible at this stage to say exactly when the moves will be completed.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints have been received by his Department in each of the last three years about the abuse of the citizens band air waves.
§ Mr. ButcherNo information is available about the precise number of complaints received. However, since the licensed CB radio service was introduced in November 1981 we have received a large number of representations about abuse of the service.