Criminal Justice Act 1988

Exceptionally high maximum fines E+W

59 Power to alter exceptionally high maximum fines. E+W

(1) The Secretary of State may by order amend an enactment or subordinate instrument specifying a sum to which this subsection applies so as to substitute for that sum such other sum as appears to him—

(a) to be justified by a change in the value of money appearing to him to have taken place since the last occasion on which the sum in question was fixed; or

(b) to be appropriate to take account of an order altering the standard scale which has been made or is proposed to be made.

(2) Subsection (1) above applies to any sum which—

(a) is specified as the maximum fine which may be imposed on conviction of a summary offence; and

(b) is higher than level 5 on the standard scale.

(3) The Secretary of State may by order amend an enactment or subordinate instrument specifying a sum to which this subsection applies so as to substitute for that sum such other sum as appears to him—

(a) to be justified by a change in the value of money appearing to him to have taken place since the last occasion on which the sum in question was fixed; or

(b) to be appropriate to take account of an order made or proposed to be made altering the statutory maximum.

(4) Subsection (3) above applies to any sum which—

(a) is specified as the maximum fine which may be imposed on summary conviction of an offence triable either way; and

(b) is higher than the statutory maximum.

(5) An order under this section—

(a) shall be made by statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament; and

(b) shall not affect the punishment for an offence committed before it comes into force.

(6) In this section—

• “enactment” includes an enactment contained in an Act passed after this Act; and

• “subordinate instrument” includes an instrument made after the passing of this Act.