HC Deb 17 December 1959 vol 615 cc1636-7
32. Mr. Whitlock

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the amount of expenses paid to members of a jury for a daily sitting; and the amount paid in cases where members of a jury are detained overnight.

33. Mr. Lipton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent jurors are reimbursed for expenses they incur when court proceedings last for more than one day.

Mr. R. A. Butler

Under the Jurors' Allowances Regulations a juror is entitled to receive a subsistence allowance of 3s. 6d. where the period of time away from his place of residence or of business or employment on any one day is not more than four hours, and 7s. where the period is more than four hours. In addition, where he is away overnight he may be reimbursed for expenses reasonably incurred for board and lodging, up to a maximum of 27s. 6d. Compensation for loss of earnings may also be paid, up to 20s. for a period of not more than four hours, and for a period of more than four hours in any one day up to 40s.

Mr. Lipton

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these jurors are rendering a valuable public service with very modest reimbursement for the expenses they incur? In these circumstances, will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that not even High Court judges with dinner engagements are entitled to hustle them into speedy adjudication on the cases that come before them?

Mr. Butler

I cannot refer to the particular case, since the men in question have appealed and the case is sub judice. In general, however, I should like to pay tribute to the services rendered by jurors.