§ Mr Rymanasked the Attorney-General what consideration Her Majesty's Government are giving to the problems involved in very lengthy fraud trials with a view to saving costs and time, and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-General[pursuant to his reply, 8 May 1981, c. 154]: The importance of reducing the time and cost of cases of this description is fully appreciated. Following the report of the Jardine working party in May 1979, I asked a small informal group to look more closely at this problem. Some of its recommendations have already been put into effect and I am confident that it will produce improvements in the investigation, as well as the prosecution, of complex fraud cases.
Following the Maximum Number of Judges Order 1981, two additional High Court judges have been appointed. It is hoped to deploy the additional judge power thus created at the Central Criminal Court and elsewhere. Further decisions will be announced as and when they are taken.