§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many charges of breach of the peace have been dealt with by way of fixed penalty by the procurator fiscal at Kilmarnock in the past 12 months; and how many of these have involved criminal injuries. [31068]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonI am advised by my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate that, during the period from 1 May 1995 to 23 May 1996, the procurator fiscal at Kilmarnock issued 198 fixed penalty notices in respect of charges of breach of the peace. The procurator fiscal does not have information available to him to indicate how many, if any, of such cases resulted in awards by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Agency. As to whether personal injury was involved in any of the cases, this information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. In general, it is unusual for a breach of the peace charge to involve personal injury to any party.