§ 33. Mr. Awberyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are in prison as a result of defaulting in their hire-purchase payments; and what is the annual cost to the country.
§ Mr. Fletcher-CookeIt is estimated that on 30th March, 1962, there were 178 civil prisoners in English and Welsh prisons who had been committed for failing to pay installments due under a hire-purchase agreement. The cost of this clase of inmate is not calculated separately.
During the financial year 1959–60, the annual cost of imprisonment averaged over all classes of inmate was £435 5s. 11d. per head of the daily average population.