§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people served a prison sentence during 1996 for television licence fine default; and if he will make a statement. [17964]
§ 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 David Scott to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 6 March 1997:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the number of people who have served a prison sentence during 1996 for television licence fine default.Provisional information for 1996 shows that 336 people—245 males and 91 females—were received into prison for defaulting on a fine after conviction for using a television without a licence.