§ 8. Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many male persons were committed to prison in Northern Ireland for defaulting on a fine in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage of the total number of male persons committed to prison this represents.
§ Sir John WheelerIn 1992, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,671 male persons were received into prison in Northern Ireland for fine default, comprising 34 per cent. of all males received into prison in that year. However, since fine defaulters spend, on average, a much shorter time in prison than other categories of prisoner, they accounted for only 2 per cent. of the average daily population. Approximately one third of those received pay the outstanding fine in whole or in part at the time of reception or shortly afterwards.