Broadcasting Act 1990

110 Power to impose financial penalty or suspend or shorten licence period

(1) If the Authority are satisfied that the holder of a licence granted under this Chapter has failed to comply with any condition of the licence or with any direction given by them under or by virtue of any provision of this Part, they may (subject to the following provisions of this section) serve on him—

(a) a notice requiring him to pay, within a specified period, a specified financial penalty to the Authority;

(b) a notice reducing the period for which the licence is to be in force by a specified period not exceeding two years; or

(c) a notice suspending the licence for a specified period not exceeding six months.

(2) The amount of any financial penalty imposed in pursuance of subsection (1)(a) on the holder of a national licence—

(a) shall, if such a penalty has not previously been imposed on that person during any period for which his licence has been in force (“the relevant period”), not exceed 3 per cent. of the qualifying revenue for his last complete accounting period (as determined in accordance with section 102(2) to (6)); and

(b) shall, in any other case, not exceed 5 per cent. of the qualifying revenue for that accounting period (as so determined);

and in relation to a person whose first complete accounting period falling within the relevant period has not yet ended, paragraphs (a) and (b) above shall be construed as referring to 3, or (as the case may be) 5, per cent. of the amount which the Authority estimate to be the qualifying revenue for that accounting period (as so determined).

(3) The amount of any financial penalty imposed in pursuance of subsection (1)(a) on the holder of any other licence shall not exceed £50,000.

(4) The Authority shall not serve on any person such a notice as is mentioned in subsection (1)(a), (b) or (c) unless they have given him a reasonable opportunity of making representations to them about the matters complained of.

(5) Where a licence is due to expire on a particular date by virtue of a notice served on any person under subsection (1)(b), the Authority may, on the application of that person, revoke that notice by a further notice served on him at any time before that date, if they are satisfied that, since the date of the earlier notice, his conduct in relation to the operation of the licensed service has been such as to justify the revocation of that notice.

(6) It is hereby declared that any exercise by the Authority of their powers under subsection (1) of this section in respect of any failure to comply with any condition or direction shall not preclude any exercise by them of their powers under section 109 in respect of that failure.

(7) The Secretary of State may by order amend subsection (3) by substituting a different sum for the sum for the time being specified there; and any such order shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.