THE BBC should not be able to prosecute people for not paying their TV licence fee, the Culture Secretary has declared.
It comes after a TalkTV investigation revealed earlier this month that nearly 130 people each day are prosecuted for failing to pay £159 for a television licence.
Asked about these cases, Cabinet Minister Lucy Frazer told Times Radio: “I don’t think it’s appropriate for the BBC to have criminal tools in its armoury in relation to prosecutions.”
Ms Frazer vowed to look at the prosecutions at the next charter review period.
In a separate interview with TalkTV, Ms Frazer reiterated she does not agree with criminal prosecutions but noted ministers’ powers are “limited in order to change that”.
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The licence fee, which funds much of the corporation’s operations, had been frozen at £159 and was set to rise in line with inflation next year.
But the expected 9% increase – which would have meant an uplift of around £15 from April 2024, was reduced by the Government after a fierce backlash and concerns about cost-of-living pressures for millions.
Instead it will rise by 6.7%, which will mean an increase of £10.50 to £169.50 per year.
The Cabinet Minister’s comments come as the Government announced a series of reforms aimed at boosting confidence in the impartiality of the Beeb.
Under the plans, TV watchdog Ofcom will gain more powers over BBC online services, including the BBC News website.
The regulator will be able to take enforcement action if articles don’t meet relevant broadcast standards.
Speaking this morning, Ms Frazer said audiences are feeling that impartiality at the BBC is on a “downward trajectory”.
She pointed to 39% of complaints last year being about impartiality compared to only 19% in 2022, adding: “It’s really important that it maintains the public’s trust. And what we’ve been hearing is that some audiences think it’s biased.”
Asked by Sky News whether she personally thought the BBC was biased, Ms Frazer said: “I think that on occasions it has been biased.”
She cited the BBC’s reporting of an attack on a hospital in Gaza as an example.
The corporation has also been fiercely criticised over its refusal to brand Hamas a terrorist organisation.
Ms Frazer told LBC: “I think that it is a terrorist group and the BBC should be calling it as such.”
