Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance is given to the courts on sentencing for non-payment of fines in relation to failure to pay for television licences.

The courts are provided with guidance on sentencing and other ways of dealing with offenders, such as fine enforcement, by sentencing guidelines. These are issued by the Sentencing Council, which is independent of Government. The enforcement of fines imposed for the offence of TV licence evasion, which is non-imprisonable, is dealt with by the magistrates’ courts. The Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines can be found at the link:

http://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/MCSG_web_-_October_2014.pdf

Pages 156 to 159 of the guidelines provide guidance to the courts on the enforcement of fines. This applies to all fines enforced by the magistrates’ courts: there is no specific guidance on dealing with offenders who have failed to pay a fine imposed for the offence of TV licence evasion.

The courts are required by law to follow any relevant sentencing guidelines unless it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.