§ 36. Mr. Dalyellasked the Attorney-General whether he will discuss with the Law Society and representatives of the legal profession ways in which decisions of judges in legal cases, which take place towards the end of a legal term, can be speeded up so that participants do not have to wait until the beginning of the autumn term to learn of the decision.
§ The Attorney-General (Mr. S. C. Silkin)No, Sir. Rules of court already permit judgment to be delivered during the Long Vacation in an urgent case if the parties so wish and the judgment can be ready. I am not aware of any difficulty which has arisen in this respect, but I shall gladly consider any particular point which my hon. Friend has in mind.
§ Mr. DalyellWill the Attorney-General reflect on what happened in Court No. 4 in July, when it seemed to some of us that the distinguished Lord Chief Justice was taking a long time to produce a judgment?
§ The Attorney-GeneralI explained that, in the ordinary way, when a case 24 is not concluded at the end of the term before the Long Vacation, judgment is given in the next term unless the parties wish otherwise. If the parties in that case had applied to the Lord Chief Justice, I have no doubt that he would have given full consideration to their application.
§ Mr. CorbettWill my right hon. Friend think again about his answer and hold this meeting? Will he consider inviting the police to attend, so that the use of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act against a known pacifist, who yesterday at Aldershot gave out leaflets calling for a withdrawal of British interests in Northern Ireland, can be discussed? Does he accept that there appears to be in this case a blatant misuse by the police of this Act on that occasion?
§ The Attorney-GeneralThat is a slightly different question.