§ Sir G. Sinclairasked the Attorney-General how far the reorganisation of the courts of law has reduced the delays in 1973–74 in the hearing of indictable cases both in London and outside by comparison with the last full year before the reorganisation came into effect.
The Attorney-GeneralNo figures are available for 1971, but in the first quarter of 1972 the average period between committal and trial for defendants in custody was 17 weeks in London and 6.1 weeks outside London. In the first quarter of 1974 the corresponding periods were 12 weeks and 5.8 weeks. For defendants on bail the delay in London has been reduced from 26.9 weeks to 24.4 weeks outside London it remains at 8.2 weeks.