§ Mr. Meacherasked the Attorney-General how many persons were indicted in the higher courts in each of the last five years, and in each of the years how many were acquitted; how many of the acquitted received legal aid; and how many of the acquitted who did not receive legal aid did not have costs awarded to them.
§ Mr. CarlisleI have been asked to reply.
The number of persons sent for trial at assizes and quarter sessions in each of the years 1967 to 1971, the total number acquitted and the total number who received legal aid, are given in the following table, which is made up from the published criminal statistics. Figures for 1972 are not yet available. I regret that statistics are not available to show how many of those acquitted received legal aid or were awarded costs.
(1) (2) (3) Year Persons tried at Assizes and Quarter Sessions Persons acquitted Persons granted legal aid for such trial* 1967 … 30,265 4,531 27,544 to 30th 1968 … 32,347 4,850 September 22,440 from 1st October† 6,058 1969 … 38,127 5,602 37,025 1970 … 44,134 6,479 41,201 1971 … 47,588 7,601 41,878 * As the figures in column 3 are compiled separately from those in column 1, they are not precisely comparable. The 1971 figures in column 3 are incomplete, as some returns were still outstanding when they were compiled. † The provisions of Part IV of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 came into force on 1st October 1968.