Mr. AtkinsonTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on what basis his Department makes available court listing information in(a) manuscript and printed form and (b) machine readable form.
Mr. John M. TaylorCrown court centres usually distribute lists of cases to be heard, or likely to be heard, or the information they contain, to all interested parties as soon as they are available.
Lists of cases with fixed hearing dates and cases likely to be heard within a particular period are distributed at least 10 days prior to the first hearing date. These lists are usually in printed form and are posted.
A daily list is printed and published usually by 3 pm, showing the cases due to be heard on the next sitting day. However, some courts publish a provisional list earlier in the day. The information on this list is notified to parties either by the hand delivery of a copy, or by sending a copy by facsimile machine or, more commonly by means of a telephone call. The hon. Member is aware from my answer of 16 December 1992 at col. 239 that the central criminal court is distributing such lists in a machine readable form on an experimental basis.