Electronic TV Detection Equipment

The request was partially successful.

Dear British Broadcasting Corporation,

I am making this request for information under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

As this is quite a lengthy request I have provided some background information for your consideration.

Background information:
In a previous response following internal review (IR2011006) the BBC confirms, albeit begrudgingly, that "TV Licensing uses detection evidence when applying for search warrants".

I am aware that the deployment and usage of electronic TV detection equipment is governed by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). This means that TV Licensing can only use this equipment following a request to and subsequent approval of an appropriate senior member of the BBC or TV Licensing's staff.

There has been recent public interest in the misuse of RIPA by authorities intent on obtaining evidence in relation to the most trivial of alleged offences. An example appears in this article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dor...

I maintain the argument in my previous request that as electronic TV detection equipment is purchased with public funds the public has a valid and reasonable interest in how effectively this technology is deployed in the detection of licence fee evaders. This cost-effectiveness is particularly relevant at a time when the BBC is attracting widespread criticism for squandering licence fee payers money on the inflated salaries and expenses of executives and presenters. An example appears in this article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jun...

My request:
Under the terms of the 2000 Act, please provide the following information:
1) The name or job title of the BBC/TV Licensing official or officials who can authorise the use of electronic TV detection equipment against a suspected licence fee evader.
2) The format that a request to use electronic TV detection equipment takes. Is it a written request or verbal request? Is there an official form? If so please provide a copy of the form used.
3) What evidence is needed before the use of electronic TV detection equipment is authorised. Would the presence of a visible TV aerial on an unlicensed property be sufficient grounds for authorisation? Would the fact a property is unlicensed be sufficient grounds for authorisation?
4) What percentage of search warrants obtained by TV Licensing have been granted on the basis of evidence obtained by electronic TV detection equipment. Note that I am only asking for a percentage here and not actually numbers.

I do hope you will be able to provide candid and full disclosure in accordance with the spirit of the 2000 Act, particularly given the public interests I have highlighted above.

Yours faithfully,

Peter Jones

FOI Enquiries, British Broadcasting Corporation

Dear Mr Jones,

Thank you for your request for information under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, about authorisation and use by TV Licensing of TV
detection equipment and search warrants which was received on April 28th.
We shall 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 RFI20110525.

Kind regards

BBC Information Policy and Compliance

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

Website: [1]www.bbc.co.uk/foi
Email: [2][BBC request email]
Tel: 020 8008 2883
Fax: 020 8008 2398

[3]http://www.bbc.co.uk
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FOI Enquiries, British Broadcasting Corporation

2 Attachments

Dear Mr Jones,

Please find attached the response to your request for information,
reference RFI20110525.

<<RFI20110525 - final response.pdf>> <<RFI20110525 - Disclosure doc - RIPA
form (redacted).pdf>>

Kind regards

Louise Wright
Information Policy and Compliance

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

Website: [1]www.bbc.co.uk/foi
Email: [2][BBC request email]
Tel: 020 8008 2883
Fax: 020 8008 2398

[3]http://www.bbc.co.uk
This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal
views which are not the views of the BBC unless specifically stated.
If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system.
Do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in
reliance on it and notify the sender immediately.
Please note that the BBC monitors e-mails sent or received.
Further communication will signify your consent to this.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/foi
2. mailto:[BBC request email]
3. http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Peter Jones left an annotation ()

Please see my blog for further background information on this request: http://tv-licensing.blogspot.com

Remember, we got the official answer others couldn't!