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Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The amendments replicate amendments that we considered in Committee. I said at that time that I would consider further the level of the penalty. I recall that the hon. Member for Dumbarton (Mr. McFall) said that it would be absurd if someone were fined £2,500 for not giving his name and address. I agree in this context, and I believe that we should not go down the road of increasing penalties merely for the sake of presentation. Penalties should be proportionate to the gravity of the offence.
Having reconsidered the matter, we are still of the view that anything above a level 2 or £500 maximum fine for the offence would be disproportionate.
Mr. Gallie:
Has my right hon. and learned Friend any guidance on why Opposition Members are taking this line? I hear repeatedly of their dismay that people are sent to prison for not paying fines. A fine of £2,500 would be well beyond the means of the majority of people who would be affected by the clause, and it would be nonsense unless they were sent to prison for non-payment.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
It would not be appropriate to get into the business of sentence-gazumping proposals. For a variety of reasons, we think that the amendments are unnecessary.
before the expiry of that old sentence, he shall begin to serve the new sentence immediately on its being passed or on such other date as the court may specify.
13. Where an old sentence is to run consecutively to a new sentence, the prisoner concerned shall begin to serve the old sentence on the date when he would otherwise have been released from the new sentence.
14. Where any combination of old and new sentences is to run concurrently, in relation to a prisoner, he shall be treated as if he is serving whichever of them will, as at the date on which the latest of them is passed, give rise to the later or, as the case may be, latest release date and, for the purposes of this paragraph, "release date" means--
(a) in the case of an old sentence--
(i) one half of a sentence of less than four years; and
(ii) two thirds of a sentence of four years or more; and
(b) in the case of a new sentence, the whole term.
15. If, by virtue of paragraph 14 above, the prisoner is to be treated as serving an old sentence, and--
(a) that sentence is either quashed or reduced to a period shorter than the concurrent new sentence on appeal; or
(b) a new sentence to which he is subject is increased on appeal to a period longer than the concurrent old sentence,
the prisoner concerned shall, as at the date when he begins to be treated as serving the new sentence, be deemed to have been awarded as many early release days as possible in relation to the period during which he was treated as serving the old sentence, (under deduction of any additional days which may have been awarded to him, or days of remission which may have been forfeited by him, during that period).
16.--(1) This paragraph applies where a prisoner who is being held on remand in respect of both an old offence and a new offence is, in consequence of the same act or omission--
(a) awarded additional days in respect of any prospective old sentence which may be imposed upon him; and
(b) is made subject to an order by which he forfeits early release days, in respect of any prospective new sentence which may be imposed upon him.
(2) Where the prisoner receives--
(a) only an old sentence, he is liable to the additional days mentioned in subparagraph (1)(a) above;
(b) only a new sentence, he is liable only to forfeit the early release days mentioned in subparagraph (1)(b) above.
(3) Where the prisoner receives both an old and a new sentence which are to run--
(a) consecutively, he is liable to the additional days, if the longer or, as the case may be, longest sentence is an old sentence, or to the forfeiture of the early release days, if the longer or, as the case may be longest, sentence is a new sentence;
(b) concurrently, he is liable either to the additional days or, as the case may be, to the forfeiture of the early release days, depending on whether the sentence is, in accordance with paragraph 14 above, to be treated as an old or, as the case may be, a new sentence.'.--[Lord James Douglas-Hamilton.]
Brought up, read the First and Second time, and added to the Bill.
Amendments made: No. 79, in page 60, line 40, at end insert--
'( ) In section 60 (effect of hospital orders)--
(a) in subsection (1)(a)--
(i) after the word "officer" there shall be inserted the words ", an officer on the staff of the hospital specified in the order"; and
(ii) for the words "28" there shall be substituted the word "7";
(b) in subsection (4), for the words "28" there shall be substituted the word "7".'.
No. 277, in page 61, line 1, leave out from beginning to 'notify' and insert
'they shall, if that unit was not so specified,'.
No. 126, in page 61, line 46, at end insert--
'( ) In section 77 (transfers to England and Wales), after subsection (5) there shall be inserted the following subsection--
"(5A) Where a patient removed under this section was immediately before his removal liable to be detained under this Act by virtue of a hospital direction made by a court in Scotland, he shall be treated as if any sentence of imprisonment passed at the time at which the hospital direction was made had been imposed by a court in England and Wales.".
( ) In section 80 (transfers to Northern Ireland), after subsection (6), there shall be inserted the following subsection--
"(6A) Where a patient removed under this section was immediately before his removal liable to be detained under this Act by virtue of a hospital direction made by a court in Scotland, he shall be treated as if any sentence of imprisonment passed at the time at which the hospital direction was made had been imposed by a court in Northern Ireland.".
No. 278, in page 62, line 33, after 'order' insert 'or a hospital direction'.
No. 279, in page 62, line 34, after '62(1A)' insert 'or 62A(1A)'.
No. 121, in page 66, leave out lines 26 and 27.
No. 236, in page 67, line 30, leave out 'the order' and insert 'an order or direction'.
No. 237, in page 67, line 50, leave out 'under' and insert 'by virtue of'.
No. 238, in page 68, leave out line 14 and insert--
'(a) in subsection (2)--
(i) the words from the beginning to "209(1) of the 1995 Act" shall cease to have effect; and
(ii) after the words "prison in Scotland" there shall be inserted the words "under Schedule 1 to the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 in an unrestricted transfer within the meaning of that Schedule"; and'.
No. 99, in page 70, leave out line 13 and insert--
'(2) In section 44 (detention of children in summary proceedings)--
(a) in subsection (4), the words ", subject to subsection (6) below,";
(b) subsections (6) to (9); and
(c) in subsection (10), the words "or (8)",
shall cease to have effect.'.
No. 80, in page 70, line 17, at end insert--
'( ) in subsection (3), for the words "28" there shall be substituted the word "7";'.
No. 81, in page 70, line 19, after 'time";' insert--
'( ) in subsection (5), for the words "28" there shall be substituted the word "7";
( ) after subsection (5), there shall be inserted the following subsection--
"(5A) Subsections (1) and (4) of section 60 of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 shall apply to an interim hospital order as they apply to a hospital order.";'.
No. 82, in page 70, line 22, at end insert--
'( ) In section 58 (hospital orders)--
(a) in subsection (4), for the words "28" there shall be substituted the word "7"; and
29 Jan 1997 : Column 443
Amendment made: No. 103, in page 72, leave out from line 9 to end of line 27 on page 73.--[Lord James Douglas-Hamilton.]
Amendments made: No. 87, in page 74, line 3, column 3, at end insert--
'In section 2(2), the word "and".'.
No. 240, in page 74, line 14, column 3, leave out 'subsections (2) and (3)' and insert
'in subsection (2), the words from the beginning to "209(1) of the 1995 Act"'.
No. 100, in page 74, line 54, column 3 after "44," insert
'in subsection (4), the words ", subject to subsection (6) below,",'.
No. 101, in page 74, line 55, column 3 at end insert
'and in subsection (10), the words "or (8)".'.
No. 88, in page 75, line 5, column 3, at end insert--
'In section 74(4), the word "and" after paragraph (a).
In section 81(6), the word ", signed".
In section 85(1), the words from "but" to the end.'.
No. 89, in page 75, line 10, column 3, at end insert--
'Section 140(3).
In section 141(3), the words "signed by the prosecutor and".'.
No. 90, in page 75, line 17, column 3, at end insert--
'In section 234A, subsection (5).'.
--[Lord James Douglas-Hamilton.]
Order for Third Reading read.
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