§ Mr. Clinton Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up a committee to investigate the administration of the magistrates' courts in England and Wales, on the lines of the Beeching Report on superior criminal courts.
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§ Mr. CarlisleI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Bradford, East (Mr. Edward Lyons) on 18th March.—[Vol. 813, c. 1621–2.]
§ Mr. Clinton Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to arrange for magistrates' courts to ensure that, in cases of unrepresented accused persons being refused bail, a form is provided to the accused giving the reason for the refusal and an explanation of the procedure for appealing to the judge in chambers.
§ Mr. CarlisleI understand that forms of this kind are already used by some courts but on present information my right hon. Friend is not satisfied that their use should be made mandatory.
§ Mr. Clinton Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons during each of the last three years were kept in custody by order of magistrates' courts in England and Wales for medical, psychiatric, probation or other social reports, and how many of these were subsequently given custodial treatment.
§ Mr. CarlisleStatistics for 1970 are not yet available. In 1969, 15,041 persons were remanded in custody by magistrates' courts under Section 26 of the Magistrates' Courts Act, 1952 or on adjournment under Section 14(3) of the Act. Of these, 4,800 were subsequently given a custodial sentence. In 1968, 12,196 persons were so remanded; the number of these subsequently given a custodial sentence could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.