§ Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many summonses for non-payment of a television licence have been heard at(a) Colchester and (b) Harwich magistrates' courts in the past 12 months. [28579]
§ Mr. MichaelI have been asked to reply.
Information held centrally by my Department on the number of persons prosecuted under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts 1949 to 1967 does not identify the offence of television licence evasion separately from other offences under these Acts.
In 1996, there were 922 persons prosecuted (under summons) at Colchester Magistrates' Court for offences under the above Acts. This figure includes intake from the Harwich court, which was amalgamated with Colchester during 1996.
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§ Mr. HoonThe volume of work undertaken by(a) Shrewsbury and (b) Telford county courts since 1990 is as follows: