§ Mr. Allenasked the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 14 July, why the Lord Chancellor will not make it his policy to make available free on request to any right hon. or hon. Member one copy of the marked polling register for his or her constituency.
§ The Attorney-GeneralMarked copies of polling registers are delivered to the Clerk of the Crown to ensure their safe keeping in case, within a year of the election, a question is raised as to its propriety. While the registers are
46W(2) how many times those retired Court of Appeal, High Court and circuit judges who return as deputies or ad hoc deputies have sat in the last three years for which figures are available; and if he will break these figures down on a geographical basis.
§ The Attorney-GeneralFor 1985, comprehensive information is not available in the form requested. Seven retired Lords Justices sat during the year. Their sitting days, and those of retired High Court judges, were not separately recorded. 1,349 days were sat by deputy— that is, retired — circuit judges. In 1986 eight retired Lords Justices sat a total of 386 days, six retired High Court judges sat a total of 334 days, and 23 deputy circuit judges sat a total of 1,400 days. In all, these sittings represent 1.8 per cent. of all days sat by judges. In the first quarter of 1987, seven reared Lords Justices sat a total of 108 days; five retired High Court judges sat a total of 68 days, and 23 deputy circuit judges sat a total of 498 days. A breakdown of the available figures by circuits is given in the attached table.
available during this time for public inspection without charge, for over a century fees have been chargeable for the supplying of a copy. There appear to be no grounds for a change. The cost of supplying a copy of the register to every right hon. and hon. Member would exceed £120,000.