HC Deb 10 July 1978 vol 953 cc1019-20
50. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Attorney-General whether he has any plans to increase staff of his Department in 1978–79 and 1979–80; and, if so, why.

The Attorney-General (Mr. S. C. Silkin)

Not at present.

Mr. Dalyell

If Lord Scarman and Lord Wilberforce are right in supposing that in order to make the devolution Bills workable there has to be a constitutional court, what would be involved in terms of recruiting new staff? If they are wrong, will someone in the Government tell the senior Law Lords, point by point, why?

The Attorney-General

My right hon. Friend the Lord President indicated in a reply to my hon. Friend last Thursday that it is not intended to bring forward legislation to establish such a court, and I do not think that it is for me to answer the detailed questions that my hon. Friend has put to me.

Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the inquiry into the north Devon link road is being held up indefinitely by the failure of the Lord Chancellor to choose an inspector? If the Lord Chancellor's Department is overworked and that of the Attorney-General is underworked, will the right hon. and learned Gentleman transfer some of his staff to the Lord Chancellor's Department?

The Attorney-General

My Department is very definitely not underworked.

Mr. Edward Gardner

Does the Attorney-General agree that delays in the hearing of criminal trials remain a most serious problem which impedes justice? Can he do anything to diminish the delays in initiating prosecutions with which he is concerned without any addition of staff?

The Attorney-General

As the hon. and learned Gentleman makes clear from the form of his supplementary question, the delays, which I agree are very much regretted, are not solely the concern of my Department; they are the concern of my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor, of the police and so on. I am glad to be able to say that as a result of recent representations the Director of Public Prosecutions has received authority to increase his staff. He is now actively seeking to do so. I am sure that when he succeeds in getting staff of the right calibre, that will help a great deal.