§ Sir H. Harrisonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions, in criminal proceedings by juries, have been by a majority decision in each year since majority verdicts were introduced; and what proportion of all guilty verdicts returned by juries were by a majority decision.
§ Mr. CarlisleThis information is not immediately available, but I shall write to my hon. and gallant Friend as soon as possible.
§ Sir H. Harrisonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number, and proportion of the whole, of jury verdicts in criminal proceedings which have resulted in verdicts of not guilty in each year since 1965; and how many of these were returned at the direction of the judge.
197W
§ Mr. CarlisleInformation in the form requested could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.
The following table shows, for England and Wales and for the years for which the statistics are available, the numbers and proportions of persons found not guilty by juries after pleading not guilty.
Year Persons pleading not guilty Persons found not guilty after pleading not guilty Column (3) as a percentage of column (2) (1) (2) (3) (4) Per cent. 1968 … 10,251 4,764 46.5 1969 … 10,837 5,432 50.1 1970 … 12,721 6,324 49.7 Information on the number of directed acquittals is not available.