HC Deb 25 February 2003 vol 400 cc475-7W
Mr. Malins

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department pursuant to her answer of 16 December 2002,Official Report, column 644W, concerning Bow Street Magistrates Court and night sittings, when she expects to be able to write to the hon. Member for Woking. [98648]

Yvette Cooper

The Final Evaluation Report for the Extended Court Sitting Hours pilot was published on 27 January 2003. I am writing to the hon. Member for Woking (Mr. Malins) with a copy of that report. In regard to the questions raised in his previous question, I can now inform him that:

  1. (1) the night sessions at Bow Street Magistrates Court, which ran between the dates of 17 May 2002 and 28 September 2002, from 6pm until midnight on Friday and Saturday evenings, operated for a total of 200 hours; (a) during the course of the pilot 155 (42 per cent.) of cases were disposed of at first hearing; and (b) 213 (58 per cent.) of cases were remanded over until a later date;
  2. (2) the total cost for all agencies concerned in the pilot operation of the night session at Bow Street Magistrates Court was £1,198,669.