HC Deb 09 December 1965 vol 722 cc141-2W
Mr. Oakes

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men were committed to prison for failing to comply with the maintenance requirements of matrimonial orders made against them for each of the years 1963, 1964, and the first nine months of 1965.

Miss Bacon

2,271 men were received into prison during 1963 for non-payment of wife's maintenance and a further 417 for non-payment of children's maintenance: it is not known how many of the latter committals were related to matrimonial orders. Corresponding figures for 1964 were 2,284 and 631 respectively. Figures for 1965 are not yet available.

Mr. Oakes

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many warrants were issued by magistrates' courts in England and Wales for the arrest of husbands who had failed to comply with the maintenance provisions of matrimonial orders, made by such courts for each of the years 1963, 1964, and the first nine months of 1965;

(2) how many attachment of earnings orders issued by magistrates' courts in England and Wales were revoked on the grounds that the husband had changed his employer since the making of the order;

(3) what was the average amount of weekly maintenance ordered to be paid to a wife under matrimonial orders made by magistrates' courts in England and Wales for each of the years 1963, 1964, and the first nine months of 1965; and what was the average weekly maintenance per child under such orders for each of these years;

(4) how many summonses were issued by magistrates' courts in England and Wales under the Matrimonial Causes Acts for each of the years 1963, 1964, and the first nine months of 1965; and how many such summonses were returned as not served because the husband could not be found;

(5) how many attachment of earnings orders were issued by magistrates' courts in England and Wales during each of the years 1963, 1964, and the first nine months of 1965.

Mr. George Thomas

The number of attachment of earnings orders made by magistrates' courts in 1963 was 3,746 and in 1964 4,033.

I regret that the other information sought is not available.