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Mr Adam Bateman 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 
 
01 September 2008 
 
Dear Mr Bateman 
 
Freedom of information request – FOI 20080836 
 
Thank you for your request dated 3rd August 2008 seeking information about TV Licensing.  Your 
request is being dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”).   
 
Please note that “TV Licensing” is a trading name used by companies contracted by the BBC to 
administer the collection of television licence fees and enforcement of the television licensing 
system. The majority of the administration of TV Licensing is contracted to Capita Business 
Services Ltd (which undertakes the majority of the administration of the TV Licensing system), with 
the administration of our cash related payment schemes contracted to Revenues Management 
Services Ltd (RMS). PayPoint Network Ltd and PayPoint Collections Ltd are contracted to provide 
over-the-counter services. The marketing and public relations activities are contracted to the AMV 
Consortium. The consortium is made up of the following four companies: Abbott Mead Vickers 
BBDO Ltd, Fishburn Hedges Boys Williams Limited, PHD Media Limited and Proximity London Ltd. 
The BBC is a public authority in respect of its television licensing functions and retains overall 
responsibility. 
 
In your request you asked the following (I have numbered your questions for ease of reference): 
 
Please can you tell me 
 
1. 
How many people within the BBC have the power to authorise the use of The regulation of 
Investigatory Powers (British Broadcasting Corporation) Order 2001? 
 
As you know, TV Licensing’s use of detection equipment is strictly governed by the Regulation of 
Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (British 
Broadcasting Corporation) Order 2001 (the Order).  As you indicate in your request, RIPA and the 
Order outline how the relevant investigatory powers are to be used by the BBC and ensure 
compliance with human rights.  Both pieces of legislation are publicly available online on the Office 
of Public Information website: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/.   
 
In relation to your question, section 27A (2) of the Order states that anyone performing the role of 
Head of Sales or Head of Marketing within the Television Licensing Revenue Management Unit 
(i.e. the BBC’s TV Licensing Management Team, TVLMT) or anyone more senior in TVLMT can 
grant an authorisation related to the detection of television receivers.  
 
 
 
 
 
In practice, this is limited to the Head of Sales, the Head of Marketing and the Head of Revenue 
Management, hence there would usually be three people who can grant authorisations.  However, 
the roles of Head of Sales and Head of Marketing are currently combined within the TVLMT, hence 
there are currently two rather than three people who can grant authorisations.  
 
2. 
What training do the authorised people undergo?  
 
The BBC has a BBC Policy on the Authorisation and Operation of Detection Equipment under the 
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.  Those individuals who have the power to authorise 
the use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (British Broadcasting Corporation) Order 2001 
are required to act in accordance with this policy, which is signed off by the BBC’s legal advisers.   
 
I have enclosed with this response a copy of the policy which, as you will see, contains guidance 
on the authorisation granting process, relevant considerations for granting authorisations and 
guidance on the review, expiry and cancellation of authorisations.  However, please note that some 
parts of the policy have been redacted as I have determined to exempt the information under 
sections 31(1)(a), (b), (d) and (g) and (2)(a) of the Act which relate to law enforcement, specifically 
that disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the prevention or detection of crime, the 
apprehension or prosecution of offenders, the collection of the licence fee and the BBC’s ability to 
discharge its public functions in respect of such matters.  This is because they contain information 
which could be useful to people attempting to evade the licence fee.   
 
I am satisfied in terms of section 2(2) of the Act that in all the circumstances of the case, the public 
interest in maintaining the exemptions (in relation to sections 31(1) and 42 of the Act) outweighs 
the public interest in disclosing the information.  I have provided further explanation of my 
consideration of the public interest test in the section ‘Why information has been withheld’ below.  
 
I would also add that the BBC’s legal advisers carry out an audit of records relating to the use of 
RIPA at least once a year and this can produce training points to improve the BBC’s application of 
RIPA.  Finally, I should also highlight that the use of detection equipment is subject to audits by the 
Office of the Surveillance Commissioner to ensure that the equipment is only used according to the 
strict legal requirements set out in my answer to question 1 above.  
 
3. 
what legal advice if any is given in each request of the use of the RIPA law to make sure 
those authorised to use the powers are doing so within the law? 
 
Please see my answer to question 2 above. 
 
4. 
Is there a code of practice that is used for The Regulation of Investigatory Powers (British 
Broadcasting Corporation) Order 2001? and is it available for viewing by the public? 
 
Please see my answer to question 2 above for details of the BBC policy on this matter.  In addition, 
the code of practice which is used in conjunction with the BBC’s Policy on the Authorisation and 
Operation of Detection Equipment under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 is the 
Home Office Code of Practice on Surveillance.  This is available for viewing by the public at 
http://security.homeoffice.gov.uk/ripa/publication-search/ripa-cop/covert-cop?view=Binary.    
 
Why information has been withheld 
 
I am required under s 2(2) of the Act to assess whether the public interest in maintaining the 
exemptions outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.   
 
The following factors are in favour of disclosure: 
 
1.  ensuring that the licensing authority is exercising its functions appropriately and 
proportionately, i.e. that people will not be unfairly subjected to detection; 
 
 
 
2.  ensuring that public funds are being appropriately applied, that is: 
a.  ensuring that the TV Licensing system is being efficiently run; and 
b.  ensuring that value for money is being obtained. 
 
I consider that the above public interest factors in favour of disclosure are served by the following: 
 
1.  The BBC has a duty to enforce the television licensing system and it is essential that 
effective deterrents against evasion are maintained for this purpose.  Without an 
effective deterrent, evasion would invariably increase.  This would be to the detriment of the 
honest majority of people who are properly licensed and to the overall amount of revenue 
available to the BBC.  It would also increase detection costs. 
 
2.  The Office of Surveillance Commissioners is an independent body which monitors the 
BBC’s compliance with  
legislation regarding detection, hence the public interest in 
people not being unfairly subject to detection is satisfied. 
 
3.  The BBC is required to satisfy the National Audit Office ('NAO') as to the value for money of 
the collection and enforcement arrangements and is accountable for the economy, 
efficiency and effectiveness of such arrangements. NAO's most recent audit is published at 
http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/06-07/0607183.pdf. 
 
4.  The BBC has reduced the cost of collection from 6.2% of the total licence fee collected in 
1991/2, when it took over from the Home Office, to 3.6% for the financial year 07/08.  This 
demonstrates that the TV Licensing system is being efficiently run.  This and further related 
information is available in the BBC’s annual report (see www.bbc.co.uk), the TV Licensing 
Annual Review and the About TV Licensing document (see 
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/aboutus/index.jsp).  A key part of this success has been the 
use of detection as a significant deterrent element. 
 
In this instance, the public interest is served by maintaining an effective deterrent to licence fee 
evasion and thus in turn protecting the BBC’s revenue stream. 
 
There is hence a greater public interest in ensuring the effective collection of the licence fee than in 
disclosing the information you have sought.  I am therefore satisfied, in terms of section 2 of the 
Act, that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption 
outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.   
 
Appeal rights  
 
If you are not satisfied with this response you have the right to an internal review by a BBC senior 
manager or legal adviser. Please contact us at the address provided, explaining what you would 
like us to review and including your reference number. If you are not satisfied with the internal 
review, you can appeal to the Information Commissioner. The contact details are: Information 
Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, telephone 
01625 545 700 or see http://www.ico.gov.uk/ 
   
I hope this response is helpful. 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
 
 
Natalie Saunderson 
Policy Adviser 
BBC TV Licensing Management Team