§ Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the current estimated number of households which evade payment of a television licence in the Colchester constituency; and what plans he has to reduce the level of evasion. [62188]
§ Janet AndersonThe estimated national television licence fee evasion rate was 7.2 per cent. at the end of March 1998 and is expected to fall significantly by the end of the current financial year. Information below national level is not available in a comparable form. TV Licensing, which carries out the day to day administration and enforcement of the television licensing system as agent for the BBC, adopts all appropriate measures to minimise evasion throughout the United Kingdom.