About two million television owners fail to pay their licence every year, costing the BBC between £250 million and £290 million ANDREW MILLIGAN/PRESS ASSOCIATIONMargaret Thatcher was resolutely against criminal sanctions for BBC licence fee dodgers, a previously unseen letter shows. Dominic Morris, her private secretary, wrote in a letter in August 1990: “The prime minister remains strongly opposed to criminal sanctions and unpersuaded by the arguments advanced in favour of retaining the sanctions. She will want to return to the subject with the home secretary [David Waddington] when both are back from the August break.”Whatever was said on their return from holidays did not lead to decriminalisation, with Mrs Thatcher politically weakened in her last years as prime minister. The letter was written in response to a briefing paper sent to Mrs Thatcher after the home affairs select committee had recommended licence fee evasion should be treated…

Source: The Times December 29, 2017 00:01 UTC