§ Mr. Adam Hunterasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has caused the delay in cases being heard in district and sheriff courts in Fife; and if he will make a statement giving the number of cases that have been waiting for three months, six months and more, in each court, respectively.
§ Mr. William RossI am not aware of any unusual delays in the hearing of summary criminal cases in the sheriff courts in Fife, where the position is generally similar to that throughout Scotland. Figures are not held centrally in the form requested, but returns of the position at 1st February 1975 and 1st November 1975 for the three sheriff courts show the intervals of time between pleading and trial diets as:
Interval (weeks) between pleading and trial diets 1st February 1975 1st November 1975 Cupar 12 7 Dunfermline 12 12 Kirkcaldy 15 13 There is in general no delay in cases being heard in the district courts in Fife and the interval between pleading and trial diets has not exceeded six weeks in any of the three district courts.
If my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind, perhaps he would let me have the details.