§ Mr. Roebuckasked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing for the last convenient 12-month period the number of prosecutions and convictions for television licence evasion in the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man, respectively.
§ Mr. StonehouseIn the period September, 1968, to August, 1969, there were 15 prosecutions and 15 convictions in the Channel Islands. In the period October, 1968, to September, 1969, there-were 6 prosecutions and 6 convictions in the Isle of Man.
§ Mr. Roebuckasked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what steps he is taking to detect television licence evasion in the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man.
§ Mr. StonehouseReminders are sent to licence holders when their licences expire. If the licence holders do not take out new licences or otherwise give a satisfactory explanation, further investigations, which may where appropriate lead to prosecution, are made. In addition inquiry letters are sent to unlicensed households and are followed, if necessary, by further investigations.
§ Mr. Roebuckasked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what was the last occasion on which a detector van was used in the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man, respectively, to counter 99W television licence evasion ; and what are his plans in this regard.
§ Mr. StonehouseIn Jersey from 9th–14th May, 1966 in Guernsey from 26th–30th September, 1966 and in the Isle of Man from 13th–29th April, 1966.
No further visits are planned at present because the level of evasion in both the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man does not warrant it.