§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) under what powers Television Licensing Authority officers visit households seeking permission to enter those premises; [39353]
(2) whether it is the policy of the Television Licensing Authority to visit the homes of people who do not have television sets. [39352]
§ Dr. HowellsThe BBC, as Television Licensing Authority, contracts the day to day administration and enforcement of the licensing system to its agent, TV Licensing (TVL). While there is clearly no benefit in visiting an address if it is known that there is no television receiver there, this information is not always available without a visit. I understand that, in the past, a declaration that no television was in use at an address was normally accepted by TV Licensing as proof of the matter, but that a significant proportion of such declarations turn out to be false. The BBC has indicated that its current policy is therefore that TV Licensing should visit all addresses in respect of which it has received a declaration that no television is in use.
TV Licensing officials may enter a person's home only with their consent or if authorised to do so by a warrant issued by a magistrate. Under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 (as amended), in order to issue such a warrant a magistrate must be satisfied, by information provided on oath, that there is reasonable ground for suspecting that an offence under the Act has been or is being committed.