§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vagrants are currently serving prison sentences for the offence of wandering abroad and lodging in the open air and not giving a good account of oneself, being a person who persistently wanders abroad, notwithstanding that a reasonable place of shelter is reasonably available.
§ Dr. SummerskillOn 5th January 1976, 16 persons were serving prison sentences for begging or sleeping out, and four persons were serving sentences, having been imprisoned consequent upon their failure to pay fines levied for these offences.
§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vagrants have served sentences during the years 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974.
§ Dr. SummerskillOn 263 occasions in 1974, persons were received into prison on sentence for offences of begging or sleeping out. The corresponding figures for 1971, 1972 and 1973 were 192, 229 and 270 respectively.