§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were held on remand in 1979 for (a) a month, (b) one month to three months, (c) over three months and (d) over six months; and if he will give a breakdown of the kind of offences involved in each category.
§ Mr. BrittanThe information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of those held on remand did not receive a custodial sentence in 1979; and how this compares with the percentages for each year since 1970.
§ Mr. BrittanInformation on the ultimate disposal of those received on remand is published annually in " Prison Statistics England and Wales" (tables 2½1 and 2½2 of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7626). Figures for 1979 are not yet available. Information for the years 1971–78 is given in the following table; comparable figures for 1970 are not available.
§ Mr. BrittanThe Government are aware that some criminal cases, particularly in the South-East of England, are taking a long time to come to trial in the Crown court. The length of time before committal is mainly determined by how soon the prosecution and the defence are 463W ready to proceed. We hope that current studies of waiting times in magistrates' courts will suggest ways of avoiding unnecessary delays at that stage. To help reduce the backlog of cases and delays in the Crown court, my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has announced a number of steps, including the opening of 71 new court rooms in the next three years and the appointment of more judges. Efforts are being made to improve the conditions for those remanded in custody before conviction as part of the follow-up to the recommendations of the May committee.