§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) women and (b) men were imprisoned and for how long for their failure to pay a fine for not possessing a television licence in each of the past five years; how many were on income support or in receipt of other social security payments; and if he will make a statement. [5036]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonInformation on the number of fine default receptions to prison for failure to pay a fine for not possessing a television licence is not 615W available centrally. Information is available on the number of fine default receptions to prison in respect of all offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949. Failure to possess a television licence is one such offence. The available information is set out in the table below. The
Fine default receptions to Scottish penal establishments for offences committed under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 Number 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 Male 15 22 24 20 41 Female 5 9 11 11 13 Total 20 31 35 31 54 Length of sentence Male: Less than 7 days 1 7 1 7 11 7 days 7 6 10 8 22 8–13 days 1 2 6 1 22 14 days 3 6 5 0 4 15–29 days 2 0 1 3 3 30 days/1 months 1 1 1 1 0 Total 15 22 24 20 41 Female: Less than 7 days 1 1 1 4 5 7 days 0 1 2 7 7 8–13 days 1 4 4 0 0 14 days 3 1 4 0 0 15–29 days 0 1 0 0 1 30 days/1 month 0 1 0 0 0 Total 5 9 11 11 13