§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many(a) prosecutions and (b) convictions for TV licence evasion there were in each of the last 20 years. [80441]
(2) what proportion of those prosecuted for TV licence evasion were on income-related benefits in each of the last 20 years. [80443]
§ Dr. HowellsThe available information relates to all offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts of 1949 and 1967, though the great majority of these involve licence fee evasion. Information is not recorded on the circumstances of individual offenders. The numbers of defendants proceeded against in the magistrates' courts and found guilty in all courts in England and Wales, for the years 1981 to 2000, were:
Year Proceeded against Found guilty 1981 51.754 49,645 1982 64,140 61,882 1983 69,908 67,496 1984 80,578 77,211 1985 84,806 80,632 1986 138,890 128,646 1987 134,472 120,374 1988 142,306 124,283 1989 141,335 123,672 1990 147,490 126,416 1991 163,964 138,701 1992 195,921 170,285 1993 194,868 168,706 1994 188,711 162,859 19951 130,956 113,795 1996 188,108 164,848 1997 92,728 76,984 1998 96,616 76,605 1999 68,778 55,813 20002 121,137 105,725 1 In 1995 there was a shortfall in the data for offenders found guilty for Wireless Telegraphic Act offences (57,400).
2 Staffordshire Police Force were only able to supply a sample of data for magistrates' courts proceedings covering one full week in
each quarter for 2000. Estimates based on this sample are included
in the figures, as they are considered sufficiently robust at this high
level of analysis.