Number of Warrants granted in relation to TV Licence enforcement have been granted in the last five years

M Wilkinson made this Freedom of Information request to British Broadcasting Corporation

The request was refused by British Broadcasting Corporation.

From: M Wilkinson

4 December 2009

Dear British Broadcasting Corporation,

Please provide me with the number of Warrants issued by
Magistrates' Courts to allow your TV Licensing staff to enter
private homes in the investigation of TV Licensing offences?

Yours faithfully,

M Wilkinson

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From: FOI Enquiries
British Broadcasting Corporation

7 December 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you for your request for information under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, as detailed in your email below. Your request was
received on 4th December, 2009. We will deal with your request as
promptly as possible, and at the latest within 20 working days. If you
have any queries about your request, please contact us at the address
below.

The reference number for your request is RFI20091673.

Kind regards

The Information Policy & Compliance Team

BBC Freedom of Information
Room 2252, BBC White City
201 Wood Lane
London W12 7TS

www.bbc.co.uk/foi
Email: [BBC request email]

Tel: 020 8008 2882
Fax: 020 8008 2398

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From: FOI Enquiries
British Broadcasting Corporation

15 December 2009

Attachment RFI20091673 final response.pdf
80K Download View as HTML

Dear Mr Wilkinson

Please find attached the response to your request for information under
the Freedom of Information Act.
<<RFI20091673 - final response.pdf>>
Kind regards,

Rachael Ward
Adviser, Information Policy and Compliance

BBC Freedom of Information
Room 2252
BBC White City
201 Wood Lane
London W12 7TS, UK

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Jancilla left an annotation (19 December 2009)

I asked my local court how often they issued warrants for TV Licensing, and the person I spoke to said he had been there for ten years and during that time the court had NEVER issued a warrant. No doubt different courts vary, so it's worth asking your local court. It's not an offence to have a television in your home without a licence if you don't intend to watch it. Therefore it's best not to tell TV Licensing that you haven't got a television, only that you don't use a television. That way, there's no point in their getting a search warrant.

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M Wilkinson left an annotation (20 December 2009)

Well I am guessing that for the information to be a hinderance to their enforcement activities the number of warrants issued must be very very low. A high number would help them and they would surely want to publicise the fact.

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Peter Jones left an annotation (13 January 2011)

Search warrants are rarer than hen's teeth. TV Licence enforcement relies almost exclusively on door-step confessions given mainly by the vulnerable to TV Licensing bullies.

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