§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek to amend the Criminal Justice Act 1967 so as to enable magistrates to impose a prison sentence at the time of sentencing if a fine is not paid within a specified period.
§ Mr. BrittanA magistrates' court already has power under section 44(3) of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 to fix a term of imprisonment in default of payment of a fine at the time when the fine is imposed if the offence is punishable with imprisonment and the offender appears to have the means to pay immediately, or if the offender appears unlikely to remain long enough at a place of abode in the United Kingdom for payment to be enforced by other methods. We have no proposals to extend this power.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received the communi- 476W cation from the hon. Member for Newham North-West, showing that there are over £22 million of fines unpaid, excluding fines in London; what is his estimate of the total figure; and if he will take steps to improve the level of payment of fines within a year of imposition.
§ Mr. BrittanI have received the newspaper cutting to which the hon. Member refers. The total amount of fines outstanding in England and Wales, excluding Inner London, on 30 September 1979 is now calculated at £25,691,423. As I said in reply to a question by the hon. Member on 15 January, this figure includes fines imposed but not yet due for payment. I have nothing further to add to that reply.