HL Deb 13 January 1997 vol 577 cc13-4WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether in the light of the observations by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Bingham of Cornhill, in Oluto v. Home Office (Times Law Report, llth December 1996), they will ensure that individuals committed for trial and held in custody, who are detained for a period in excess of the prescribed 111-day time limit through no fault of their own, have a right to compensation.

Baroness Blatch:

There are no plans to introduce a right of compensation to individuals who have either been detained in excess of the prescribed custody time limits or subsequently shown to be not guilty. Existing statutes and regulations governing custody time limits are in place to encourage the rapid preparation of cases and ensure that a defendant does not spend any longer in custody than is permitted. Once the custody time limit has expired, a defendant is entitled to be released on bail unless the prosecution has sought, and the court granted, an extension.