HC Deb 05 February 2001 vol 362 c362W
Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the compatibility of TV licensing's inquiry and enforcement methods with the European convention on human rights. [147610]

Janet Anderson

Statutory responsibility for the administration and enforcement of the television licensing system rests with the BBC. TV Licensing carries out the day-to-day administration, including inquiry and enforcement activities, as agent for the BBC. The Government and the BBC are on the whole satisfied that TV Licensing's inquiry and enforcement methods are compatible with the European convention on human rights, but in order to put one matter beyond doubt the Government intend to bring forward an order under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 to regulate the use by TV Licensing of apparatus designed or adapted for detecting the installation or use of television receivers.