§ Mr. Marshall-AndrewsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each of the years 1995 to 1999 (1) the average length of time between charge and final disposal of contested cases involving either way offences tried in the magistrates' courts; [110426]
(2) the average length of time between committal and final disposal of contested cases involving either way offences which are tried before jury after election for jury trial; [110427]
(3) the number and percentage of those who elected trial by jury who pleaded guilty to different offences from those on which they were committed. [110428]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThis information is not collected centrally. Information on the time taken in magistrates courts proceedings is collected by the Lord Chancellor's Department's Time Intervals Survey. In 1999 and earlier years, the survey collected data on indictable (including triable either way) cases completed in a sample week of each February, June and October. From 2000 onwards, there will be four surveys during each year.
622WThe average time taken from charge to completion for defendants in contested triable either way cases which were tried in magistrates courts was 147 days in February 1999 and 132 days in both June 1999 and October 1999. These figures include charged defendants but exclude summonsed defendants. For defendants committed for sentence to the Crown Court, time before committal is included but time spent in the Crown Court after committal is not available and therefore is not included.
These figures use information collected for the first time in 1999 following an enhancement to the survey. Equivalent figures for previous years are not available.