§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were prosecuted for not having a television licence in the latest year for which figures are available; what sentences they received; and how many people eventually served a period of imprisonment.
§ Mr. Maclean[holding answer 15 March 1995]: Information held centrally by my Department on the number of court proceedings under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts 1949 to 1967 cannot separately identify the offence of TV licence evasion. I understand from the national television licence records office that the number of prosecutions in the last two years was as is shown in the table. Over 97 per cent. of people found guilty were fined. A total of 845 people in 1993 and 754 in 1994 were imprisoned for default on fines imposed for using a TV without a licence.
Offenders prosecuted and found guilty of television licence evasion England and Wales Year Prosecuted Found guilty 1993 243,025 212,952 1994 223,985 199,970 Source:
National television licence records office.