MHK Jason Moorhouse has raised in Tynwald the issue of a constituent who was being harassed by ’threatening’ TV licensing letters every two weeks.

Mr Moorhouse said that he had considered contacted the Post Office on behalf of his constituent,who has no TV and therefore does not need a licence, but Post Office chief executive officer Simon Kneen confirmed that it could not stop the letters as it ’does not have the vires to stop or intercept mail, it is obligated to deliver what is posted’.

He added that other residents had also been ’quite horrified’ when ’mail arrives on their doorstep in brightly coloured envelopes or with emotive statements such as ’Official Notice: Investigation Opened’ and ’Official Notice: Investigation Opened’ emblazon across the envelopes’.

Mr Moorhouse also inquired how many households on the island do not have TV licences and receive such correspondence, but was told by Mr Harmer the social security division of the Treasury was not provided with these figures by the BBC.

The Minister clarified that houses without a TV licence should only be contacted by the BBC around every two years.

He added that if Mr Moorhouse were be unable to raise this matter with TV Licensing on the constituents’ behalf using the complaints procedure on their website, that he would be happy to raise it instead.

After the Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK spoke to a member of staff at the TV Licensing call centre, the constituent has received no further correspondence.

Mr Moorhouse spoke of the letters as showing ’a very dark and quite menacing side of the BBC.’

’It is nothing like the mild mannered "Aunty Beeb", the friendly imagery which they normally try to project’ he said.