§ Mr. MullinTo ask the Attorney-General what was the cost of the trial of the 14 prison officers at Winson Green prison who were found not guilty of assaulting the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe cost of this trial amounted, in respect of fees paid to both prosecution and defence lawyers, and witnesses' expenses, to £75,469.
§ Mr. MullinTo ask the Attorney-General if he will estimate the cost of the recent appeal hearing of the case against the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings, following the decision to refer the case to Court of Appeal under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968.
§ The Attorney-GeneralAs judgment has not yet been given in this case, no lawyers' bills have been presented or determined, no fees have therefore yet been paid, and therefore no satisfactory estimate of the cost can be made at present.
§ Mr. MullinTo ask the Attorney-General if he will estimate(a) the cost to the public purse of the original trial of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings at Lancaster Crown court, (b) the cost of their appeal the following year and (c) the cost of each stage of the civil action brought by the convicted men against the West Midlands police.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe cost of the original trial at the Crown court at Lancaster in 1975 amounted, in respect of fees paid to both prosecution and defence lawyers, and witnesses' expenses, to £237,683. The cost of the appeal in 1976 in respect of fees paid to defence lawyers was £5,327. The cost of the civil action cannot be ascertained without disproportionate expense.