§ Mr. Mayhewasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will advise magistrates' courts that, in cases where a compensation order has been made by a Crown court at the same time as it passed a custodial sentence upon the same defendant, and the compensation order has been sent to a magistrates' court for collection and enforcement in accordance with the Administration of Justice Act 1970, section 41(1), they should not write off the amount payable under the compensation order by inviting the approval to such action of the pension entitled to compensation.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees:I see no need to do so: magistrates' courts have no statutory authority to write off sums ordered to be paid as compensation, and I understand that it is not their general practice, in the 428W circumstances mentioned, to ask the intended beneficiaries to agree to forgo compensation ordered by the Crown court. If the hon. and learned Member is aware of cases in which difficulty has arisen, no doubt he will write to me.