To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total was of unpaid court (a) costs, (b) compensation orders and (c) fines imposed by (i) magistrates courts and (ii) the Crown court in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and what percentage in each category have subsequently been quashed. (76406)

I have been asked to reply.

Detailed accounting records are retained by the NI Court Service for three years only. Information for the last three financial years is set out as follows. Penal sums imposed in one year may be paid in the next following year. Consequently the amount outstanding for each year will include sums which may be paid and sums which may be quashed in subsequent years. Sums cleared otherwise than by payment include those remitted or reduced on appeal, where the defendant served a period of imprisonment in default of payment, or where the police return a warrant to the court unexecuted.