§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the pilot schemes to test the alternatives to custody for fine defaulters which were provided by the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997. [107069]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeMeasures in the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 which allow courts to impose a community service order, a curfew order or disqualification from driving on fine defaulters instead of sending them to prison are being piloted in Norfolk and Greater Manchester. A report on the findings from the pilots will be published soon and a decision taken over whether or not to make the provisions available nationally. A Research Finding detailing interim findings was published last year evaluating the use of these measures during 1998.