§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the news release from the Penal Affairs Consortium dated 17 July 1995 concerning the rise in imprisonment for fine default since 1990 (including imprisonment for non-payment for TV licences, poll-tax, and other debts).
§ Baroness BlatchThe courts must have adequate powers to enforce financial penalties quickly and effectively. In the last resort, that includes the imprisonment of defaulters. The power to imprison defaulters can only be used where the court has inquired into the offender's means and is satisfied that the default is due to the offender's wilful refusal or culpable neglect to pay; and where it has considered or tried all other methods of enforcing payment and it appears to the court that they are inappropriate or unsuccessful. A working group on the enforcement of financial penalties has been set up by the Lord Chancellor's Department to identify and promote good practice in the enforcement of financial penalties and to make recommendations. The working group's objective is to find ways of enabling the courts to enforce payment of financial penalties more effectively without resorting to imprisonment, unless this is absolutely unavoidable.