§ Mr. Alex Carlileasked the Attorney-General whether he has any proposals to alter the Crown court pre-trial process for potentially long trials; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralCriminal procedure is primarily a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary. Evaluation is under-way of the pilot project established at six Crown court centres to assess the recommendations of Lord Justice Watkins' working party on the pre-trial process. In addition the committee on fraud trials chaired by Lord Roskill may have occasion to consider pre-trial procedures.