§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what purpose the money paid in fines by members of the armed forces is used.
§ Mr. FreemanThe money is appropriated in aid of defence Votes.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to the answer of 9 July, he will give for the 81 fines imposed by courts martial for 1985 and for the 46 fines imposed in 1986, the amount of the smallest, the largest and the median fine imposed for each category of offence.
§ Mr. FreemanThe information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and effort.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will carry out a sample survey in order to estimate for(a) the Army, (b) the Royal Air Force and (c) the Royal Marines the annual number of fines summarily imposed by commanding officers; and if he will categorise the fines according to the nature of the offence and whether the fine falls into one of the following categories: (i) up to £100, (ii) £101 to £250, (iii) £250 to £500 and (iv) over £500.
§ Mr. FreemanThe number of summary awards in 1986 for which a fine was the most serious punishment, together with the category of offence involved, are already known. Details are as follows:
456W
Numbers Army Total 1,889 Offences against person (excluding sexual) 76 Sexual offences 0 Drug offences 1 Offences against property 102 Desertion and AWOL 175 Drunkenness 196 Other offences against discipline 1,264 Other offences 75 Royal Air Force Total 2,706 Disloyalty/Security offences 23 Violence 165 Sexual offences 4 Drug offences 3 Criminal damage/negligent damage 139 Theft 74 Fraud 144 Desertion/AWOL 84 Drunkenness 222 Disciplinary 1,317 Driving and motor vehicle offences 509 Other offences 22 Royal Marines Total 622 Disloyalty/security offences 3 Violence 28 Sexual offences — Drug offences — Criminal damage/negligent damage 52
Numbers Theft 5 Fraud 5 Desertion/AWOL 42 Drunkenness 21 Disciplinary 414 Driving and motor vehicle offences 22 Other offences 30 Categorisation by size of fine could only be achieved at disproportionate cost.