§ Mr. Brightasked the Attorney-General how many new Crown courts it is planned to open before 1984; and what effect it is anticipated this will have on the average delay before trials take place.
The Solicitor-GeneralOne hundred and sixty-three new courtrooms for use by the Crown court are planned to be opened by the end of 1984, by new building or adaptation. Of these, 96 will be additions to courtrooms now in use. The remainder will replace existing unsuitable premises and those reverting to local authorities. In the same period, 14 temporary courtrooms are to be opened in the London area, of which 13 will be additional to those now in
Establishment Staff in Post Shortfall (London) 1 April 1979 … … … … 22 18 4* 1 April 1980 … … … … 22 19 3† * 1 Legal, 3 Clerical and Secretarial. † 1 Legal, 2 Clerical and Secretarial. For the Lord Chancellor's Department the figures are as follows:
Establishment Staff in Post Shortfall 1 April 1979 … … … … 10,260* 10,211 49 1 April 1980 … … … … 10,125 10,010 115 * The total of 10,282 shown in Estimates 1979–80 includes 22 judicial officers. The shortfall was in the following regions:
1 April 1979 1 April 1980 South-East … … … … … … … … 40 100 South-West … … … … … … … 9 5 North-West … … … … … … … — 10 It is not possible at short notice to provide details of the grades in which the shortfalls in the Lord Chancellor's Department occurred. 482W use. These additions will have an appreciable effect on the disposal of Crown court business but, since many other factors are involved, (including the number of crimes committed, detected, charged and committed for trial between now and 1984) the precise reduction in average delay cannot be quantified.