§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Attorney-General why information concerning the average length of time taken to process legal aid applications is only available on a national basis and not on a regional basis.
§ The Solicitor-GeneralIn order to produce the national figure a small sample of cases is examined annually in each area office. The samples taken together provide a statistically acceptable national figure but each
Year Cases Persons injured Persons killed Prosecution directed No prosecution directed 1981 81 76 7 1 79 1982 36 36 1 0 36 1983 3 3 0 0 2 1984 11 12 0 0 6 In seven cases a final direction pends the outcome of other proceedings or the submission to the director of additional evidence. The outstanding 1981 case awaits the outcome of civil proceedings.
Figures for periods prior to 1981 are not available save at disproportionate cost.