Fine Defaulters

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To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) men and (b) women received prison sentences for fine default in each of the last five years; what was the average length of sentence; what was the average amount of fine which was outstanding; what was the average cost of imprisonment and other cost to the public; and if he will make a statement. [79930]

The information which is available on the number of (a) men and (b) women receiving prison sentences for fine default by length of sentence and amount of fine outstanding is provided in the tables. (Data are not meanwhile available for 1998).

Fine default receptions to penal establishments by sex and length of sentence, 1993–97
	1993		1994		1995		1996		1997
Length of sentence	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female
Total	8,878	738	8,174	701	6,808	701	8,332	667	9,983	737
Less than 7 days	1,151	102	1,400	152	1,003	150	1,113	83	1,197	88
7 days	3,515	353	3,466	368	2,805	341	3,638	348	4,511	383
8–13 days	797	48	864	47	807	61	976	67	1,197	58
14 days	1,516	126	1,567	98	1,481	115	1,872	131	2,238	161
15–29 days	995	45	593	26	550	25	596	32	676	38
30 days/1 month	592	54	90	2	25	2	12	—	14	2
31–59 days	198	6	150	5	106	5	97	6	125	7
60 days/2 months	64	4	11	1	2	—	6	—	4	—
Over 60 days	50	—	33	2	29	2	22	—	21	—

Fine default receptions to penal establishments by sex and fine outstanding, 1993–97
	1993		1994		1995		1996		1997
Fine outstanding	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female
Total	8,878	738	8,174	701	6,808	701	8,332	667	9,983	737
Less than £50	633	63	476	70	366	43	391	22	383	35
£50-less than £100	1,835	171	1,627	190	1,209	193	1,336	129	1,636	118
£100-less than £200	3,017	292	2,682	249	2,057	253	2,564	268	3,145	286
£200-less than £500	2,778	201	2,748	182	2,546	196	3,267	216	3,919	260
£500-less than £1,000	512	10	519	6	535	12	643	30	772	36
£31,000-less than £2,500	94	1	102	3	81	4	107	2	116	2
£2,500-less than £5,000	6	—	15	1	12	—	10	—	9	—
£5,000 or more	3	—	5	—	2	—	14	—	3	—

Average cost per prisoner place¹
£
1993–94	26,006
1994–95	26,479
1995–96	25,786
1996–97	26,744
1997–98	26,170
¹Calculated on a financial year (to end March) basis.

Volume 329: debated on Tuesday 13 April 1999