§ Major Dorman-Smithasked the Home Secretary whether he can give any comparative figures to show the reduction in imprisonments for non-payments of money consequent on the operation of the Money Payments Act, 1935?
§ Sir J. SimonI am glad to say that since the Act came into operation on 1st January, 1936, there has been a very substantial reduction.
The number of committals to prison in default of payment of monies during 1935 as compared with 1936 were as follow:
1935. 1936. Number of persons imprisoned— (1) In default of payment of fines 10,825 7,424 (2) For failure to pay sums due under wife maintenance orders 2,324 1,876 (3) For failure to pay sums due under affiliation orders 1,300 859 (4) In default of payment of rates 2,118 1,464 16,567 11,623