§ 5. Mr. G. Thomasasked the Attorney-General if he is aware that litigants, witnesses and jurors summoned to attend the High Court, assize courts or county courts, are frequently kept waiting one or more days before they are actually needed in court; and whether he will consult the Lord Chancellor with a view to taking steps to remedy this situation and to improve the arrangements of the work of the courts with a view to reducing legal costs and public inconvenience.
The Attorney-General:I am aware that litigants, witnesses and jurors are often kept waiting before their cases are called. Every effort is made to reduce the delay, but some waiting is inevitable if the courts are to sit continuously. As a number of Royal Commissions and Committees, including the Evershed Committee, have pointed out, this is a difficult problem and there is no easy solution to it while litigous business remains as heavy as it is at present and the shortage of court accommodation persists. But I will certainly consult my noble Friend about it.