§ Mr. Liddallasked the Attorney-General whether he will state, in relation to those towns on the Midland circuit where civil business is taken at all assizes, the number and percentage of occasions in the last three years that business has been sent from assize to assize on account of it not being reached; in relation to the same towns, how many cases in the lists for hearing on the present circuit have been not reached at the termination of the respective assizes; and, in view of the public inconvenience thereby entailed, what steps he proposes to take in the matter?
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe number and percentage of occasions during the years 1936, 1937 and 1938 on which civil business has been sent from one assize to the next on account of it not being reached are:
Number of Percentage occasions. Percentage of occasions. Town. Per cent. Leicester … … 2 22.2 Nottingham … … 4 44.4 Birmingham … … 2 25 The number of cases for hearing during the present assizes which have not been reached is:
Nottingham … … 14 I am authorised by my Noble Friend, the Lord Chancellor, to state that steps are being taken to submit a resolution to this House and to another place praying that two pew Judges shall be appointed to the King's Bench Division, and it is hoped that such appointments will afford relief both to the work in London and upon the circuit.