§ Mr. NellistTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Sheerman) on 22 November 1990Official Report, column 175, on distress warrants, if he will classify by type the numbers of distress warrants issued in each of the last three years; and how many of these led to property seizure and sale.
§ Mr. John Patten[holding answer 3 December 1990]: Information on the number of distress warrants is obtained from the magistrates courts' management information system, and the only breakdown available is as follows:
Distress warrants issued in respect of arrears on: Fine and Fee accounts Maintenance accounts 1987 185,000 200 1988 560,000 600 1989 587,000 2,800 Information is not available on the action occurring after the issue of a warrant.