Sir: The Magistrates' Association has been concerned about the issue
of television licence offenders for many years. Indeed, the matter was discussed at the Associa- tion's AGM in 1993, when a resolution call- ing for a change in the legislation was car- ried by a very large majority. Most magis- trates are still unhappy at having to deal with this offence at the magistrates' court. Magistrates do not imprison people for not having a television licence, but we do have the power to imprison someone who is found guilty of 'wilful refusal or culpable neglect' in paying the fine. However, this power is used sparingly. At the end of March this year only six people were in prison for not .having paid the fines for tele- vision licence evasion. Not one of them was a woman.
The Association is in constant discussion with the Government on this issue, and I can only hope that some satisfactory solu- tion will eventually emerge.
Rosemary Thomson
The Magistrates' Association, 28 Fitzroy Square, London WI
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