§ Mr. O'Neillasked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will make a statement on the implications of Lord Macdonald's judgment of Wednesday 20 June on the status of citations which have not been served within the 29-day period.
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandThe judgment has been appealed against by the Crown and it is anticipated that the hearing of the appeal will take place in early July.
The immediate implication of the judgment is that a number of trials in indictment cases which were set down for current and future sittings of the High Court and sheriff and jury courts will not now be called. Fresh indictments have been or will be served for trial diets to be held as early as possible. To this end special sittings of the High Court have already been arranged. It is anticipated that the majority of them will proceed in the next eight weeks. The operation of the 110-day rule will result in the accused, in a few cases, being released pending trial.