Overview

This bill aims to decriminalise non-payment of the BBC television licence fee, changing the penalty from a criminal offence to a civil one. This means that non-payment would be handled through a system of fines and debt recovery rather than prosecution in a criminal court.

Description

The bill amends the Communications Act 2003. Specifically, it alters section 363, which currently makes non-payment of the TV licence a criminal offence. The bill replaces "guilty of an offence" with "guilty of a civil offence." It removes the existing criminal penalty and introduces a "penalty charge" instead. The Secretary of State will set the levels of these charges through regulations approved by the House of Commons.

The bill applies to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland and was set to come into force on 1 January 2017 (note that this date is from the original bill and may not reflect any subsequent changes).

Government Spending

The bill's impact on government spending is not directly specified in the text. The shift to a civil penalty system might lead to changes in administrative costs – potentially increased costs associated with debt collection for the government, but potentially offset by savings from reduced criminal court processing.

Groups Affected

• TV Licence Non-payers: This group would be most significantly affected. They would face civil penalties (fines) rather than criminal prosecution.
• The BBC: The BBC's funding model relies heavily on licence fee income; the change could affect their revenue collection process and overall finances.
• Debt Collection Agencies: These agencies could experience an increased workload if the number of non-payers increases and the government outsources debt collection.
• The Courts: Criminal courts would see a reduction in cases related to licence fee evasion.

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