§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been imprisoned in 1996 to date for defaulting on a fine arising from their non-payment of television licences; what was the figure for the same period in 1995; and what assessment he has made of the use of imprisonment in respect of television licence fee evaders. [2743]
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§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Dafydd Wigley, dated 18 November 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking, how many people have been imprisoned in 1996 to date for defaulting on a fine arising from their non-payment of television licences; for the figure for the same period in 1995; and for an assessment of the use of imprisonment in respect of television licence fee evaders.Provisional information for the period January to September 1996 shows that 262 people were received into prison for defaulting on a fine after conviction for using a television without a licence. This is against 599 received during the same period in 1995, indicating a significant drop in the use of imprisonment.