§ Mrs. Peacockasked the Attorney-General whether there has been any recent change in his policy concerning the use of a bill of indictment in cases in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralNo. It has always been my policy to exercise my power under section 2(2)(f) of the Grand Jury (Abolition) Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 to direct the presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment where I am satisfied that this is in the interests of justice and that the circumstances are appropriate. I must be satisfied that there is a proper case which should go for trial before the Crown Court and that the procedure can be used without undue prejudice to the accused. Examples where I consider the procedure is appropriate are cases where one or more persons have been committed for trial in respect of certain offences and subsequently another person is made amenable and should be put on trial at the same time and upon the same evidence as his co-accused, cases where there has been a committal which has subsequently been found to be defective by reason of some technicality of procedure and cases where committal proceedings in magistrates' courts have been disrupted or seriously impeded by physical disorder or other improper actions or where I have reason to apprehend that that would happen and where, in either case, I considered that the proper administration of justice would otherwise be prevented.
Health Service: Actual and planed public expenditure* £ million cash 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 †1985–86 ‡1986–87 England Hospital and Community Health Services 4,743 5,686 7,371 8,215 8,747 9,223 9,676 10,250 10,660 Family Practitioner Services 1,330 1,549 1,923 2,208 2,547 2,660 2,885 — — Central Health and Miscellaneous Services 239 294 368 427 481 574 577 610 630 Total NHS (England) 6,311 7,529 9,662 10,850 11,776 12,456 13,138 13,860 14,560 Scotland Hospital and Community Health Services 665 792 1,007 1,146 1,226 1,303 1,377 1,470 1,520 Family Practitioner Services 160 186 231 264 302 323 353 370 400 Central Health and Miscellaneous Services 44 57 69 82 86 96 104 110 110 Total NHS (Scotland) 869 1,035 1,307 1,492 1,614 1,722 1,834 1,940 2,030 Wales Hospital and Community Health Services 298 351 457 520 563 594 627 † † Family Practitioner Services 90 104 128 146 170 176 190 † † Central Health and Miscellaneous Services 10 11 14 16 18 21 29 † † Total NHS (Wales) 398 466 599 662 751 791 846 900 930