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The House of Commons committee on the "media" has said it should not be a criminal offence to watch television without a licence. At present a maximum fine of £1000 can be imposed for watching TV without the permission of the BBC. If the law is changed in the way the committee recommended failure to pay the licence fee would result in action in the civil courts if detected.

The committee also called for reform of the way in which the state media giant is governed, regulation of its commercial operations and a new act of parliament as the basis for the its existence. The BBC, which is on its best behaviour as its charter comes up for renewal, gave what the Financial Times described as a "guarded welcome" to the report.

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In another demonstration of the systematic discrimination against republicans in Britain, Welsh Assembly member Leanne Wood was expelled from the assembly chamber on Wednesday for referring to Britain’s hereditary head of state as "Mrs. Windsor." The expulsion was ordered by the assembly presiding officer Elis-Thomas (who uses the feudal title of "Lord") following a complaint by Labour assembly member Leighton Andrews.

Mr. Elis-Thomas ruled that Ms. Wood had been discourteous by refusing to defer to the unelected Windsor or recognise the hereditary rights she claims. Ms. Wood was reported as saying that she did not recognise so-called queen and that "I called her that (Mrs.Windssor) because that's her name".

Republicans are barred from sitting in the British legislature by the Parliamentary Oaths Act of 1866. The Labour Party has a long record of support for the feudal institution of monarchy.

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British TV viewers are likely to be required to pay the BBC for permission to watch TV for at least another ten years, according to Terry Burns, a government adviser on television. Mr. Burns (who uses the feudal title of "Lord") has stated that there is widespread support for the licence system but that it will have to be reviewed by 2012 as TV access technology develops. He admitted that the licence system "isn’t perfect".

In Britain people are not allowed to watch any TV, including satellite and cable TV, unless they buy a licence. The £2.7bn income from the fees goes to the BBC state media giant. Reading newspapers, books and magazines is permitted without a licence.

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