The Government is set to make a u-turn on plans to decriminalise TV licence evasion, according to recent media reports.
Although Downing Street has previously indicated that the current system needs a radical overhaul, it now believes that an alternative system of enforcement could prove even harsher on vulnerable licence-holders who fall behind in their payments. BBC bosses are said to be breathing a collective sigh of relief at the changing tone of the Government.
Barely a week into the job, the newly installed Johnson Government announced that a consultation would take place on decriminalising TV licence fee evasion.
The consultation ran for eight weeks from the start of February. According to reports it received in excess of 100,000 responses - including our own, which we shall publish in a future article - demonstrating the strength of public opinion about the TV licence fee.
The consultation closed on 1st April 2020 and its findings were due to be reported by the end of this year, but it is looking increasingly likely that the report will be delayed until early 2021.
John Whittingdale MP, the Minister of State for Media and Data, was recently asked if the Government had "bottled" the decriminalisation of TV licence evasion.
He said: "I think there is an argument for considering this particular aspect of the licence fee as part of the wider considerations of what should happen to the licence fee at the next settlement.
"The Government has not decided to drop the idea of decriminalisation, but when you come to look at this issue in greater detail it becomes clear that it is not as simple as perhaps was first suggested."
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