HC Deb 03 March 1938 vol 332 cc1269-70
30. Sir William Jenkins

asked the Home Secretary the amounts received in fines from police court proceedings in 1936 and 1937, respectively, indicating the amounts received by the Treasury and the amounts received by the police authority, and giving separately the amount the Treasury receives from road fines, and the amount allowed to the police authority for England and Wales, respectively?

Sir S. Hoare

As the answer includes a number of figures I will, with the hon. Members's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the answer:

The amounts of the fines imposed by Courts of Summary Jurisdiction received by the Exchequer in the years 1936 and 1937 were £367,879 15s. 1d. and £379,190 10s. 4d., respectively. These sums include £356,636 19s. 4d. and £367,750 14s. 7d., respectively, in respect of fines imposed under the Roads and Road Traffic Acts. I regret I have no information as to the amount of the fines received by the local or police authorities

31. Sir W. Jenkins

asked the Home Secretary what grant is made to police authorities in England and Wales towards the salaries paid to clerks to justices and their staff; what grants are paid for the upkeep of the police courts; and what grant is given towards county courts?

Sir S. Hoare

No Exchequer grant is payable in respect of the salaries of clerks to justices. As regards the second and third parts of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to his question on 28th February.

41. Mr. R. C. Morrison

asked the Home Secretary whether he will include in the terms of reference to the Departmental Committee on conditions of service of clerks to justices the question of establishing a uniform procedure of issuing receipts for moneys paid into court?

Sir S. Hoare

The failure of some clerks to adopt proper systems of giving receipts is one amongst several questionable economies which have resulted from the statutory provision that the clerk shall be paid an inclusive sum to cover both his expenses and his personal remuneration, with the consequence that the more he spends on clerical assistance, postage, etc., the less may be his personal remuneration. To review this system of payment will be one of the functions of the proposed committee.