Clause 36 - Fines officers

Part of Courts Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee at 10:30 am on 10 July 2003.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Chris Leslie Chris Leslie Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Constitutional Affairs) 10:30, 10 July 2003

Different offenders have different penalties imposed on them by the courts and the courts are the best people to judge what the penalty should be. Fines are one of the main vehicles by which courts impose sanctions, and they are a good sanction. A fine can be an important disincentive to further offending. I would not want to see a diminution of fining. I should like to see a reduction in the defaulting on and dodging of fines. Sadly, too many people are getting away with not paying their dues.

The package of new measures puts together an administrative net to throw around the system to ensure that offenders who have been fined do not have access to such dodges and escapes. They will be given every incentive—not just encouragement, but sanctions—to ensure that those fines are collected. They are a genuine advance and I look forward to seeing how the pilots work.

The hon. Member for Somerton and Frome and my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford asked on the attachment of benefits orders which benefits would be taken in. The only benefits that would be applicable would be income support and jobseeker's allowance. Tax credit arrangements would not be affected in that way. That is the clear advice I have from the drafting, and I hope that that is a helpful assurance to the Committee.

My hon. Friend raised the matter of garnishee orders and the self-employed. If the Committee will allow me I should like to return to that point, look at it in a little more detail and perhaps write to my hon. Friend and the rest of the Committee about how we envisage such individuals being brought into the system. The point is interesting and I should like to investigate it further. I do not want a system in which anyone has a way out just because of the nature of their personal employment.

On work orders, I think that I have already answered the point raised by the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome and the other issues raised. I hope that the Committee will see that this measure is a significant advance. We hope that the pilots will eventually lead to a much stronger national system of fine collection and a better regime, making sure that, as a nation, we raise our game in the collection of fines imposed in the courts. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will see fit not to press his amendment.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause 36, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Schedule 3 disagreed to.