§ 8. Mr. Peter Archerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many accused persons in each of the last three years pleaded not guilty, respectively, in magistrates' courts and on indictment; how many, respectively, were convicted; and in respect of each figure, in how many instances the accused was legally aided.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Mark Carlisle)In 1970 12,721 persons who appeared for trial on indictment in England and Wales pleaded not guilty; 6,397 of these were convicted. The figures for 1968 1570 were 10,251 and 5,487, and for 1969 10,837 and 5,405.
I regret that the other information is not available.
§ Mr. ArcherDoes the hon. and learned Gentleman appreciate that the piece of information that he has not given was the whole point of my Question? If we are to be reminded consistently that the cost of legal aid rises year by year, will not our consideration of its cost effectiveness be more informed if we have the information?
§ Mr. CarlisleI said that the information which I suspected the hon. and learned Gentleman wanted was not available in the form that he required. In the higher courts, only 2.3 per cent. of all defendants are not represented. The number represented on legal aid in magistrates' courts has gone up substantially.