BBC licence fee: decriminalising evasion review delayed
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/21/bbc-licence-fee-decriminalisation-evasion-delayed
The BBC is claiming victory in its bid to delay a review into decriminalizing* licence fee evasion, which it claims would lead to reduced revenue and force it to axe services such as BBC4. Tory MP Andrew Bridgen, who has been pushing for legislation to make non-payment a violation rather than a criminal offence via an amendment to the forthcoming deregulation bill, has made additional amendments in which he calls for ministers to spend up to a year reviewing the issue. The timing will bring the issue into forthcoming negotiations with the government over the renewal of the BBC's royal charter and licence fee agreement.
*"decriminalizating" usually means that it is no longer a "crime" but a "violation" to do the act.
A BBC spokesman said: "The BBC is content that this proposal balances a timely examination of this issue with a proper review of the options, while not taking any decisions prior to charter review." This is something the BBC has been pushing for since it first emerged last month that justice secretary Chris Grayling was looking into the issue of decriminalisation of licence fee evasion. Bridgen's first amendment was backed by more than 150 MPs. On Wednesday, he told Radio 4's The Media Show that he realised making the change in legislation to make non-payment a civil offence could not happen immediately, as the corporation has no alternative enforcement system yet and cannot switch off its programmes to households, but that he had made his proposal to "test the sentiment of the House of Commons."
His latest proposals give more detail, saying the review should start within three months of the deregulation act being passed and complete it "no later than" a year after it began. He also calls for a move "to replace the TV licensing offences with civil monetary penalties payable to the BBC." All three of Bridgen's amendments will be discussed by the deregulation bill committee on Tuesday.
Basically, Tory MP Andrew Bridgen believes payments towards the BBC license fee shouldn't be a crime but just a violation, by decriminalizing this law.
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