§ Mr. Peter Millsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will advise magistrates to increase fines substantially for those who break the anti-rabies regulations.
§ Mr. Alexander W. LyonNo. Ministers have no responsibility for, and cannot seek to influence, the sentences imposed by the courts in particular cases. The maximum penalties available to the courts for dealing with such offences were successively greatly increased by the Agriculture Act 1970 and the Rabies Act 1974, under which there is a liability on conviction on indictment to terms of imprisonment of up to 12 months, as well as unlimited fines.