Financial Penalties (Enforcement) (Hansard, 6 December 1995)

§ Dr. Lynne Jones
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the working group on the enforcement of financial penalties was set up by his Department; what were its terms of reference; and who constitutes the membership. [3431]

§ Mr. Jonathan Evans
The first meeting of the working group on the enforcement of financial penalties was on 19 May 1995. Its terms of reference are urgently to identify ways of improving the enforcement of financial penalties, including fines, compensation orders and confiscation orders, so as to reduce the level of financial penalties in arrears and the level of write-offs, and in particular: to establish the true level and nature of financial penalties in arrears; to promote the identification and wider application of "good practice" in the enforcement of financial penalties, taking note as appropriate of the work of the inspectorate in this area; to recommend procedural, administrative or legislative changes which would improve the enforcement of financial penalties; and to conduct or sponsor further research, if necessary, into the enforcement of financial penalties.
The membership is as specified in the written answer of 19 July 1995, Official Report, column 1300, except for the addition since that date of a representative of the metropolitan stipendiary magistrates.

§ Dr. Jones
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on how many occasions a warrant of distress under section 76 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 was applied for in the case of those defendants who were jailed for fine default during 1994.[3439]

§ Mr. Evans
The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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§ Dr. Jones
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on how many occasions an application was made to the High Court or county court for enforcement under section 87 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980, in cases of those defendants who were jailed for fine default during 1994. [3440]

§ Mr. Evans
The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.