§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what statutory authority Mr. John Griffiths, the clerk to the Gateshead magistrates court, wrote to Mrs. Price asking her to write off her compensation awarded by the court; how much in fines and compensation have been written off for any stated period; why Mrs. Price was allowed seven days only in which to reply; by what statutory authority this time for reply was stipulated; and whether he will make a statement.
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§ Dr. SummerskillThere are no statutory provisions dealing with the writing-off of compensation. I understand that in Mrs. Price's case the order cannot be enforced because the person against whom it was made has disappeared,[...] the justice's clerk accordingly sought her agreement to the claim being treated as dormant.
Since responsibility for the administration of magistrates' courts rests with the magistrates themselves, it is not for me to comment on the request to Mrs. Price to reply within seven days. I do not have information about the enforcement of compensation; as for fines, during the 12 months ending 31st March 1978, a total of £1,442,000 was written off as irrecoverable and the sum collected was £71,246,000.