§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people were given custodial sentences following a failure to pay a fine for TV licence evasion in each of the last 20 years. [80442]
§ Dr. HowellsThe information requested is available only from 1992 onwards. The number of people in England and Wales received into prison for non-payment of fines for television licence fee evasion, in each year since 1992, was as follows.
233W
Year 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Number 570 861 770 774 355 245 156 83 36 31
§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether a television licence is required for a personal computer capable of receiving television broadcasts. [80488]
§ Dr. HowellsThe BBC has statutory responsibility for the administration of the television licensing system and for determining the licensing requirements in specific circumstances. I cannot, therefore, comment in detail on how those requirements would apply in particular cases. However, the requirement to have a licence relates to the installation or use (actual or intended) of the apparatus in question and not simply its capability. A television licence is required for the installation or use of a television receiver. A television receiver is equipment installed or used for the purpose of receiving television programme services, as defined by section 2(4) of the Broadcasting Act 1990. A personal computer which is capable of receiving television programme services, and which is installed or used for such purposes, is therefore a television receiver, and its installation or use as such requires a television licence.