§ CAPTAIN PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, having regard to the fact that in the year 1895, out of 1,825 prisoners who came for trial before the Courts in Scotland only two were detained waiting for trial for more than 14 weeks as against 199 in England, and that the longest detention before trial in Scotland was only 17 weeks against 31 weeks in England, the Government can see their way to effect such changes in the criminal procedure in England as will effectively reduce such periods of detention in the latter country with a view, if possible, to put England on a level with Scotland in that respect?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYThe question will certainly engage the serious attention of the Government. It is not possible, however, to lay stress on the comparison instituted by the hon. Member in the question between Scotland and England. The 199 cases in England were cases of prisoners awaiting trial at assizes, and to make the comparison between the two countries complete—a comparison which is impossible with the figures at present available—it would be necessary to take into account the cases dealt with by Quarter Sessions, and also most of the indictable cases disposed of in Courts of summary jurisdiction in England.