§ 91. Mr. H. Hyndasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any success has resulted from his recent efforts to find a solution for the problem of time wasted by police officers attending magistrates' courts in 180W connection with undefended motoring cases.
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeAs I stated on 10th December last in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Cheadle (Mr. Shepherd), I have had under consideration the report of a working party which was set up to consider and report on measures which might be taken to save the time of witnesses at the summary trial of minor offences.
I have now sent a circular letter to magistrates' courts, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy, commending to their attention some of the suggestions put forward by the working party with a view to dispensing with the attendance of unnecessary witnesses and to saving the time of those witnesses whose attendance is essential. I have no doubt that the adoption, where appropriate, of these suggestions, which would not require legislation and are already in use in many courts, would do something to help in saving the time of police and other witnesses. I am giving further thought to those recommendations of the working party which could not be put into effect without legislation.