Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many criminal prosecutions for non-payment of the BBC licence fee have been undertaken over the past 12 months; and whether they intend to review whether non-payment should be a criminal offence.

The Ministry of Justice currently publishes the annual number of prosecutions, convictions, and sentencing outcomes for non-payment of the TV licence fee as part of their criminal justice quarterly publications, which are available online. In 2023, the number of prosecutions for non-payment of the TV licence fee was 34,084.

As part of the next Charter Review, the government will engage with the BBC and others to consider how to ensure the BBC thrives well into the next decade and beyond. This will include discussions on a range of important issues, including future funding models for the BBC, and their enforcement.