To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what progress has been made in attaining performance targets for the collection of outstanding fines imposed by magistrates courts. [99871]
Magistrates Courts Committees (MCCs) have responsibility for the collection of a range of debts imposed through the courts, including not only fines but also fees, compensation, confiscation orders, legal aid contributions and some maintenance orders.The table sets out the latest figures for the payment rate for individual MCCs. Fine enforcement performance is too low and the variations are too wide and unacceptable ranging from over 80 per cent. to under 40 per cent.MCCs set their own targets for improvement when they bid for a share of £9 million extra investment (netting off) for the financial year 2002–03. The aggregate of the local targets was an increase in fines collected of 7 per cent. The Government set out a target national performance level of 68 per cent. in the payment rate by end of March 2003.The payment rate currently includes confiscation orders as well as fines, so individual areas can see their figures distorted by high confiscation orders imposed in one quarter and collected at a later date.Some MCCs have demonstrated significant improvements in performance: Avon and Somerset (from 54 per cent. to 73 per cent.), Gloucestershire (from 42 per cent. to 73 per cent.) and South Wales (from 39 per cent. to 50 per cent.). Others have seen performance fall, such as GLMCA, which has deteriorated from 46 per cent. to 38 per cent.The total amount of money collected in the 12 months to December 2002 has increased by £2.3 million (or 1 per cent.) compared to previous year. However the total new amount owed has increased by 6.9 per cent. The current rolling year payment rate is 56 per cent. compared to 59 per cent. a year ago. Excluding the Greater London Magistrates' Courts' Authority the payment rate is 62 per cent.
Fine enforcement performance is too low and the current variations in performance are unacceptable. That is why the Government have introduced a major program of work to tackle fine enforcement.
Funded pilots of different approaches to fine enforcement showing significant increases in enforcement.
Poorly performing MCCs must draw up action plans incorporating findings of the research in order to qualify for their share of next years funding.
Extra investment in fine enforcement of £9 million in current year rising to £18 million next year.
Introducing a unified courts administration with stronger management systems for tackling poor performance as part of the Courts Bill.
Vehicle clamping of defaulters, discount for prompt payment and increases if the offender fails to pay on time, registering the debt with the registry of judgments to prevent defaulters from getting credit as part of the Courts Bill.
Increasing support and advice for those who cannot pay as well as developing alternative sentence options in the community.
Debt analysis—Rolling year: January 2002 to December 2002
| |||
Amount imposed total(£)
| Amount paid total(£)
| Payment rate indicator (Percentage)
| |
| Avon and Somerset | 10,719,413 | 6,173,809 | 73 |
| Bedfordshire | 3,220,859 | 2,415,461 | 59 |
| Cambridgeshire | 4,454,102 | 3,466,611 | 33 |
| Cheshire | 5,876,836 | 3,502,782 | 56 |
| Cleveland | 3,259,970 | 1,882,948 | 50 |
| Cumbria | 3,952,757 | 2,683,011 | 76 |
| Derbyshire | 7,054,261 | 4,297,097 | 57 |
| Devon and Cornwall | 10,021,264 | 5,391,963 | 63 |
| Dorset | 3,341,820 | 2,488,518 | 75 |
| Durham | 3,694,282 | 2,864,660 | 73 |
| Dyfed Powys | 2,624,932 | 1,892,384 | 71 |
| Essex | 10,111,948 | 8,149,513 | 75 |
| Gloucestershire | 2,200,862 | 2,404,712 | 73 |
| Greater London | 63,701,896 | 40,166,205 | 38 |
| Greater Manchester | 22,135,048 | 14,473,929 | 65 |
| Gwent | 4,074,201 | 2,866,675 | 63 |
| Hampshire and Isle of Wight | 7,595,592 | 7,413,125 | 76 |
| Hertfordshire | 5,456,665 | 4,262,381 | 67 |
| Humberside | 4,659,538 | 3,800,992 | 71 |
| Kent | 11,381,351 | 5,825,408 | 62 |
| Lancashire | 12,583,526 | 6,998,720 | 66 |
| Leicestershire | 7,018,052 | 5,083,050 | 75 |
| Lincolnshire | 5,460,427 | 2,749,453 | 62 |
| Merseyside | 7,901,028 | 4,177,037 | 32 |
| Norfolk | 3,431,075 | 2,650,102 | 76 |
| North Wales | 5,389,241 | 2,790,064 | 61 |
Debt analysis—Rolling year: January 2002 to December 2002
| |||
Amount imposed total (£)
| Amount paid total (£)
| Payment rate indicator (Percentage)
| |
| North | |||
| Yorkshire | 2,838,382 | 2,442,514 | 80 |
| Northamptonshire | 7,889,295 | 3,495,245 | 57 |
| Northumbria | 7,415,623 | 5,200,127 | 60 |
| Nottinghamshire | 5,746,751 | 4,519,728 | 64 |
| South Wales | 8,721,806 | 4,805,327 | 50 |
| South | |||
| Yorkshire | 7,918,784 | 5,288,728 | 60 |
| Staffordshire | 7,330,713 | 4,279,018 | 68 |
| Suffolk | 3,256,469 | 2,377,724 | 66 |
| Surrey | 7,044,726 | 4,478,625 | 79 |
| Sussex | 8,229,910 | 3,944,435 | 60 |
| Thames Valley | 10,318,717 | 7,323,217 | 75 |
| Warwickshire | 4,127,276 | 2,631,531 | 85 |
| West Mercia | 6,128,518 | 4,640,320 | 72 |
| West | |||
| Midlands | 21,847,735 | 12,268,003 | 53 |
| West | |||
| Yorkshire | 11,758,544 | 8,448,270 | 54 |
| Wiltshire | 4,802,573 | 3,588,043 | 74 |
| England and Wales | 356,696,768 | 230,601,465 | 56 |
Note:
The payment rate also includes the net amount transferred in which over this rolling year was £54 million