ken clarke writes off 1.4 billion in fines the AA grumpy column

[the grumps]

good evening and welcome to the AA grumpy column and another look at whats been getting up the jumper of your favorite columnist

KEN Clarke faced fresh fury last night after it emerged he has let crooks off £1.4billion in fines and confiscation orders.

MPs were livid that criminals will avoid paying £3 in every £4 imposed.

Last month The Sun revealed the backlog had soared to nearly £2billion. But last night a National Audit Office report said only £457million is expected to be paid — just £1 in every £4.

The crisis was so bad the NAO threw out the Courts Service annual accounts, saying it could not trust the figures provided. It is the first time the Whitehall spending watchdog has used the sanction since rejecting the Home Office accounts in 2004-05.

NAO boss Amyas Morse said: "HM Courts Service has not been able to provide me with proper accounting records relating to the fines, confiscation orders and penalties." A key problem is the disastrous Libra computer system used by the courts.

Tory MP Richard Bacon, a senior member of the Public Accounts Committee, said: "Ken Clarke will need to take off his Hush Puppies and put some heavy boots on to sort this one out. It's disgraceful. It's a possible £1.4billion loss because of the long-standing shambles that passes for record-keeping in the Courts Service."

Committee chief and Labour MP Margaret Hodge said: "It's worrying they can't produce basic financial records."

HM Courts and Tribunal Service said it was trying hard to crack down on fine dodgers.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... t-off.html

AAG

doesnt this prove the lib dems are not up to the coilition government the lib dems have been sitting on the side lines for so long that they have become out of touch with britian today and the man in the street and have no idea of how to run the country.

how can ken clarke just write off 1.4 billion with one hand and borrow with the other.

the courts and tribunal service say its hard to crack down on fine dodgers well isnt that what the police are there for to arrest them and bring them before the courts and lock them up for non payment.

or would it interfere with the tick box policing and target chasing ?

anyway why go after fine dogers when theres plenty of motorists to percecute they,re good for a fine and it shows an decrease in crime .

yes it looks very good on paper chief inspector but what about some real policing like rounding these toerags up and hauling them before the courts or does crime actually pay ?