§ Dr. Petersasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the case of Woodlands (Chemists) Limited, two of whose directors were each fined £10,000 and costs at the Guildhall, on 12th March, and have since filed their petitions in bankruptcy; is it the case that such a step has been held recently to be evidence of lack of means and the court had no power to impose a term of imprisonment in default; and what steps he proposes to take to stop this practice of criminals evading justice?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI am aware of the facts of this case and am considering the judgment to which my hon. Friend refers: but in a case where a court decides that the offence can properly be dealt with by the imposition of fine, it is not, I think, correct to suggest that the offender evades justice by filing a petition in bankruptcy. On the contrary, this course ensures that the monetary penalty imposed by the court will be exacted to the limit of his capacity to pay; and the Defence Regulation recently made provides that bankruptcy proceedings may be used for the recovery of large fines.