§ 85. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Attorney-General if his attention has been drawn to the fact that injustice may result from the present law and procedure relating to the preferment of indictments in criminal proceedings, particulars of which have been sent to him; and if he will now take steps to rectify this and to ensure that, whenever a person is committed for trial on indictment, the proper officer of the court of trial shall be obliged to supply a copy of the indictment free of charge to the accused person five days at least before the trial.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI do not think that any amendment of the law on these lines is called for. I am not aware that any injustice or hardship has resulted from the operation of the indictment rules in their present form and there are serious practical objections to the hon. and learned Member's proposal.