§ Mr. Roseasked the Attorney-General what was the percentage of cases in Crown courts during 1974 in which the defendant pleaded guilty; and what were the figures individually for Manchester, London, Liverpool, Surrey and Middlesex, respectively.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe percentage of defendants who pleaded guilty in the Crown courts during 1974 was as follows:
All Centres 61 Manchester 62 London 44 Liverpool 50 Surrey 55 As there is no longer a separate county of Middlesex the percentage of defendants at the Middlesex Guildhall has been included in the London figure. However, taken separately, the Middlesex Guildhall percentage was 43.
§ Mr. Roseasked the Attorney-General what percentage of defendants pleading not guilty in Crown courts was convicted and what percentage acquitted during 1974; and what were the figures individually for Manchester, London, Liverpool, Surrey and Middlesex, respectively.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe information is as follows:
314W
Percentage convicted Percentage acquitted All centres 55 45 Manchester 54 46 London 55 45 Liverpool 47 53 Surrey 58 42 As there is no longer a separate county of Middlesex, the figures for the Middlesex Guildhall have been included in the London figures. However, the percentage for Middlesex Guildhall was in fact the same as for London.
§ Mr. Roseasked the Attorney-General what was the average period between committal and sentence for bailed defendants and defendants in custody in Manchester, London, Liverpool and Inner London Crown courts, respectively, during 1974; how this compared with the period immediately prior to the Courts Act; and whether he will give similar figures in respect of waiting times pending appeals in the Court of Appeal.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe average periods between committal for trial and the start of the hearing during 1974 were as follows:
No comparable figures are available for the period immediately prior to the Courts Act. The average period between the registration of an appeal or an application for leave to appeal and disposal, whether by abandonment or hearing, during 1974 was 14.4 weeks.
Weeks Bail Custody Manchester 7.3 5.5 London 22.1 11.7 Liverpool 6.6 4.8 Inner London Sessions House (included in the London figures) 25.0 10.4