§ Mr. MacShaneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many(a) men and (b) women 457W are currently held in prison in connection with charges or convictions relating to non-payment of the television licence. [7760]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Denis MacShane, dated 13 December 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many men and women are currently held in prison in connection with charges or convictions relating to non-payment of the television licence.Provisional information for 31 October 1996, the latest date for which figures are available, is that three males and no females were held in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales in connection with non-payment of television licences