{"links":{"self":"https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/164413.json"},"data":{"type":"archived-petition","id":164413,"parliament":{"period":"2015-2017","government":"Conservative","dissolution_at":"2017-05-03T00:01:00.000+01:00","response_threshold":10000,"debate_threshold":100000},"attributes":{"action":"Decriminalise not having a TV license","background":"Thousands of poor people are being imprisoned or given criminal records every year for a minor debt to the BBC. \r\n\r\nUsually, cases of a debt are dealt with by a civil action which is more proportionate.\r\n\r\nThe BBC employs tactics to frighten people who do not have a TV into buying a license.","additional_details":"\"In England and Wales there are 180,000 prosecutions a year for failing to pay the licence fee, and dozens of people are jailed each year.\"\r\nSee:\r\nhttp://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/599049/TV-Licence-jailed-England-BBC-fee-Scotland-fines\r\n\r\nI do not own a TV and yet I receive regular upsetting letters - about once every 2 months. They say things like ' What to expect in court'. Clearly designed to cause distress.\r\n\r\nDecriminalising will reduce the distress caused to millions.\r\n\r\n","committee_note":null,"state":"rejected","signature_count":10,"created_at":"2016-08-08T22:38:22.135Z","updated_at":"2017-09-09T06:19:29.845Z","rejected_at":"2016-08-17T09:03:35.618Z","opened_at":null,"closed_at":null,"moderation_threshold_reached_at":"2016-08-16T18:39:33.680Z","response_threshold_reached_at":null,"government_response_at":null,"debate_threshold_reached_at":null,"debate_scheduled_on":null,"scheduled_debate_date":null,"debate_outcome_at":null,"rejection":{"code":"duplicate","details":"https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/124937"},"government_response":null,"debate":null,"departments":[],"topics":[]}}}