§ Mr. W. Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will state the estimated annual cost of maintenance, including 147W wages and salaries of staff, of the recently opened Crown Court in Manchester; and whether he will state the estimated amount which each local authority in the Salford Hundred will have to pay annually;
(2) whether he will state the estimated capital cost for the new Crown Court buildings recently opened in Manchester; what proportion of this cost will be borne by war damage payments, the local authorities in the Salford Hundred, and Exchequer contribution, respectively.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI understand from estimates made by the Manchester City Council that the capital cost of the Crown Court is likely to be of the order of £1,275,000, excluding £81,000 land and lay-out costs, and that the estimated war damage payments amount to £672,500. The annual cost of wages and maintenance is thought likely to be of the order of £32,000. There is no Exchequer contribution in respect of the provision of buildings for use by courts of assize or quarter sessions.
Section 9 of the Criminal Justice Administration Act, 1956, provides that the Lancashire County Council and the county boroughs in the Salford Division shall make certain contributions to the cost of the court in proportion to population.