§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the reasons for treating the non-payment of BBC television licence fees differently from other civil debts; and [HL1246]
Whether they will take steps to ensure that the non-payment of BBC television licence fees is treated in the same way as other civil debts. [HL1247]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe television licence fee is not a civil debt. Although the BBC has responsibility for collecting the licence fee, it is a payment for permission to receive any television programme service, as defined in Section 2(4) of the Broadcasting Act 1990, and not for services provided by the BBC. There is at present no effective means of disconnecting television services to those who fail to pay the licence fee. As disconnection for non-payment becomes practicable with the development of digital broadcasting technology, the Government will reconsider the need for criminal sanctions. But at present decriminalisation of licence fee evasion would be likely to lead to an unacceptable increase in the level of evasion and in collection costs. The cost of evasion is ultimately borne by those who do pay their licence fee.