Vol. 492 No. 1
198 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons imprisoned for the non-payment of fines or debts for each of the past 12 months that data is available; the average time spent in prison by these persons; the amount of expense incurred by the State on imprisonment; the average amount of fine and debt involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13324/98]
The information sought by the Deputy is not available. Committal statistics are not maintained on a monthly basis and the calculation of the average time spent in prison by persons committed for non-payment of debts, default of sureties and contempt of court and the average amount involved would require the examination of a large number of files and the resources necessary for this could not be justified. In 1994, however, the latest year for which relevant information is available, the total number of persons committed to prison in default of fines, for non-payment of debts, default of sureties and contempt of court was 2,443, out of a total of 10,433. Figures are not yet available for later years.
The number of such persons in custody at any one time, who were committed for non-payment of debts, default of sureties and contempt of court is in the order of 1 per cent to 1.5 per cent of the total prison population, that is, less than 40 people. This is due to the fact that many debtors and fine defaulters make payment either on committal or shortly afterwards, so that the amount of time spent in prison is often quite short. It is not possible to give a figure for the cost of imprisoning such persons, many of whom might only spend a few hours in custody. However, in 1996 the annual cost of maintaining a prisoner in custody was £46,150.
I am at present considering various proposals for alternatives to custody in relation to the non-payment of fines including a system of attachment of earnings, which I would hope to include in an Attachment of Earnings Bill. Under such an arrangement the court could order that outstanding fines be deducted from a person's earnings and this could represent a form of payment by instalment.
