HC Deb 25 January 1897 vol 45 cc395-6
MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there would be any difficulty in preparing a return showing for the last two years the dates of committal to assizes of individual prisoners, the period of detention before tried, the offence for which tried, and before whom, distinguishing those who were convicted guilty, and those who were acquitted, and the sentence passed in each case?

SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY

There would be very great difficulty in preparing a return of individual cases; but the question of giving similar information in a tabular form had already been engaging the attention of the department charged with the preparation of the judicial statistics, and the statistics for 1895, which are almost complete and will be published very soon, will contain tables that will probably answer the purpose which I understand the hon. Member has in view.

MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR

asked whether the difficulty referred to was in respect to materials or in respect to the clerical labour worked, and if the statistics in preparation would show any undue detention of prisoners committed for trial?

SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY

said the tables in the judicial statistics to be published in a few weeks would give the information suggested by Sir H. Poland and would probably meet the views of the hon. Member.