Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the fines imposed by magistrates' courts in Belfast over the last 12 months, or other convenient period, on persons who were squatting, or otherwise in illegal possession of housing in the Belfast area, the table to show the total number of persons brought before the courts, the numbers acquitted, the number of fines below 50p, £1 and £2 and the average length of time granted before execution of eviction orders, and also showing the numbers of the defendants who qualified for legal aid.
§ Mr. Mason, pursuant to the reply of his hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State [Official Report, 4th July 1978; Vol. 953, c. 166], gave the following information:
Prosecutions under section 1 of the Summary Jurisdiction (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland) 1946 292W at Belfast magistrates' court in the 12 months to 1st July 1978 were as follows:
Acquitted/withdrawn 13 Fines below 50p 7 Fines below £1 (but over 50p) 1 Fines below £2 (but over £1) 18 Other fines 3 Total number of prosecutions 42 The average stay of execution on possession orders was 4–6 weeks. Two defendants were granted legal aid.