HC Deb 27 July 1897 vol 51 c1240
MR. LEWIS FRY (Bristol, N.)

beg to ask the Attorney General whether he is aware that many persons liable to serve on juries at assizes and quarter sessions receive frequent summonses to serve, while other persons equally liable to serve are seldom or never summoned; whether it is the duty of the sheriff to summon, as nearly as may be in rotation, all persons whose names appear in the jury lists who are not legally exempt by reason of previous service or otherwise; And whether any steps can be taken to secure the indifferent summoning of jurymen by rotation?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

I am not aware of the facts as stated in the first paragraph of the hon. Member's Question. It is the duty of the sheriff to summon impartially all persons whose names appear in the jury lists, assuming that they are not exempt by reason of previous service or on other grounds; but, for obvious reasons, it would be undesirable that jurors should be summoned merely by rotation.