§ Mr. Patrick McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to ensure that the scale of fines imposed by the courts is adjusted in the light of inflation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BrittanSection 61 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 makes provision for certain maximum fines to be increased by order in the light of changes in the value of money. I am satisfied that the maxima introduced by the 1977 Act are high enough to make it unnecessary for us to take any action under that section at the present time. Within the statutory maxima, it is for the courts to decide the appropriate fine in any particular case.