§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in prisons in England and Wales have a sentence of six months or less; and what proportion of those are fine defaulters.
§ Mr. Peter LloydResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 18 October 1993:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many people in prisons in England and Wales are serving a sentence of six months or less and what the proportion of those are fine defaulters.The latest available provisional information is for 31 August 1993 when there were 3,642 prisoners in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales serving sentences of six months or less.Fourteen per cent. of the population serving up to six months were fine defaulters.