§ FINES FOR OFFENCES AGAINST REGULATIONS RELATING TO WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY APPARATUS ON FOREIGN SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT
§ Lords amendment: No. 117, after clause 41 insert:
"M. (1) In section 6 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949—(a) in subsection (2), for the words from "such", in the second place where it occurs, to "regulations", in the fourth place where it occurs, there shall be substituted the words "a maximum fine for each offence of an amount not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, as defined in section [Construction of references to "the standard scale"] of the Criminal Justice Act 1982, or of a lesser amount"; and
§ (b) the following subsection shall be added after subsection (3)—
"(4) For the purposes of subsection (2) of this section—
- (a)section 33 of the Criminal Justice Act 1982 (the standard scale of fines for summary offences); and
- (b)an order under section 143 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 which alters the sums specified in section 33(2) of the Criminal Justice Act 1982,
shall extend to Northern Ireland."572
(2) Nothing in this section shall affect the punishment for an offence committed before this section comes into operation."
§ Mr. MayhewI beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.
The amendment increases from —100 to level 5 on the standard scale—which currently stands at —1,000—the maximum fine available for summary offences against regulations made under section 6(2) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949. The regulations enable control to be exercised over the use of the apparatus on foreign ships and aircraft within the United Kingdom's territorial jurisdiction.
The present maximum has remained at —100 since 1949 and would be increased to only —200 by clause 36 of the Bill. A more appropriate reflection of the potential gravity of the offences concerned would be —1,000.
§ Question put and agreed to.