HC Deb 06 December 1988 vol 143 cc111-2W
Mr. Fisher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those owning a television pay for(a) a colour licence and (b) a black and white licence.

Mr. Renton

It is estimated that about 92 per cent. of television owners obtain a television licence. About 82 per cent. pay for a colour licence, and about 10 per cent. pay for a black and white licence.

Mr. Fisher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been(a) detected and (b) prosecuted for not having a television licence in each of the last 10 years; and at what cost.

Mr. Renton

The available data which have been supplied by the national television licence records office are given in the following table. Corresponding information on costs is not available.

Detections and prosecutions for TV licence evasion in the United Kingdom
thousands
Year ending 31 March Detected Prosecuted
1978–79 73.8 55.4
1979–80 78.7 49.9
1980–81 93.3 65.8
1981–82 101.7 70.5
1982–83 125.3 85.4
1983–84 152.8 97.4
1984–85 149.0 110.0
1985–86 235.4 123.1
1986–87 258.4 174.5
1987–88 288.9 158.2

Mr. Fisher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what he estimates will be(a) the cost and (b) the staffing implications of transferring responsibility for the collection of the British Broadcasting Corporation licence fee on to the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Mr. Renton

There should be no increase in the cost of collecting licence revenue, and the BBC will clearly have a strong incentive to reduce costs so far as is practicable consistent with the maximisation of licence revenue. It is likely that the transfer of responsibility will save in the order of two central Government staff posts.

Mr. Fisher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are employed in collecting the BBC licence fee.

Mr. Renton

About 1,300, excluding Post Office counter staff who issue television licences and sell television licence savings stamps as part of their general duties.

Mr. Fisher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present administrative cost of collecting the BBC licence fee.

Mr. Renton

A total of £59.6 million for the year 1987–88.