§ Mr. BrazierTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of women in prison are serving a sentence because of non-payment of fines; and how many of them had as an original offence the non-payment of the TV Licence Fee. [123514]
§ Paul Goggins[holding answer 7 July 2003]: On 30 April 2003, the number of females in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales was 4,432. There were three female fine defaulters, which represents 0.07 per cent of the total female prison population. None of the three female fine defaulters were in prison for defaulting on the payment of a fine for using television without a licence.