§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish whatever facts and figures are readily available to show the extent of the growth in the avoidance of the payment of fines.
§ Mr. CarlisleThe amount of outstanding fines at the end of the year, expressed as a percentage of the amount collected, rose from 26.8 per cent. in 1966–67 to 32.8 per cent. in 1969–70. No figures are available to show how far, if at all, this rise is due to deliberate avoidance of payment.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the growing practice of criminals and those convicted of civil crimes deliberately refusing to pay their fines in the knowledge that no enforcement will follow if persistence in refusal to pay is continued, and as the imposition of a suspended sentence in default is no deterrent, he will take steps to make himself responsible for ensuring that fines are paid.
§ Mr. CarlisleThe enforcement of a fine in any particular case is a matter 391W for the courts. The powers available to the court are matters for my right hon. Friend, and although he has no evidence to bear out the suggestion in the first part of the hon. Member's Question, he is keeping the situation under review.