§ 31. Mr. HindTo ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the number of cases prosecuted by the Crown prosecution service in 1990.
§ The Solicitor-General (Sir Nicholas Lyell)In the 12 months to the end of September 1990, the Crown prosecution service completed 1,729,282 cases, of which 140,326 were in the Crown court.
§ Mr. HindI am grateful for that answer. Is my right hon. and learned Friend now satisfied that the Crown prosecution service has settled into its task? It has attracted a great deal of criticism from various parts of the country, but does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that it is now doing a fine job, prosecuting and dealing expeditiously with many cases?
§ The Solicitor-GeneralI am grateful for my hon. Friend's remarks about the Crown prosecution service. It is settling in well. It conducts a great many cases with skill and confidence which is recognised by courts and the public throughout the country.
§ Mr. FraserWill the Solicitor-General compare the resources given to the Crown prosecution service with those given to the legal aid service and say why he thinks that it is right that the rate of remuneration for those prosecuting criminal cases should go up more quickly than the rate for those defending them?
§ The Solicitor-GeneralI am not sure that that is by any means always, if ever, the case—the rates should be broadly in balance. The amount of money spent on legal aid has been going up very fast this year.