§ Mr. Haleasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were received into prison in the most recent convenient 12 months on committal orders issued by the magistrates in respect of arrears under maintenance orders in respect of wife or children, including illegitimate children; what was the total amount of arrears involved; what amount of arrears was collected; and what was the total estimated cost to the community.
§ Mr. Roy Jenkins3,465 persons were received into prison on this account during 1965. The estimated cost of maintaining them there was about £200,000. I regret that the other information is not available.
§ Mr. Haleasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present total estimated cost to the State, including the National Insurance Fund or Social Security Fund, of the committal to prison for a period of six weeks of a husband in respect of arrears of maintenance to his wife and two children under 10 years of age who have no other means of support and who also leaves a mistress and two children under 10 years of age with no means of support, after making approximate average additions for the cost of his rehabilitation, retraining or redeployment.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsThe cost of maintaining the husband in prison for six weeks, on the figures for the financial year 1964–65, would have been about £80. Assuming that both families were receiving National Assistance, the total payments to them, including family allowances, would usually be between £72 12s.156W and £78, depending on the ages of the children, plus the amount of rent, which would normally be met in full.