§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State For Northern Ireland (1) how many prisoners were refused bail, and what is the average period of remand without bail for persons charged either wholly or partially on the basis of accomplice evidence in each of the following categories: (a) the top decile, (b) the top quartile, (c) the second quartile, of prisoners awaiting trail for the longest period and (d) all prisoners charged on the basis of such evidence for the first six months of the current year;
(2) how many applications for bail, by those held on remand for scheduled, non-scheduled offences, and both together, were refused in the first six months of the current year.
§ Mr. ScottOut of a total of 1,357 bail applications, 551 were refused in the High Court, in the first six months of this year. Information as to whether the applications were in respect of scheduled or non-scheduled offences could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information on remand times for those at present on remand in custody who have been charged on the basis of evidence from alleged former accomplices is not separately available and could, likewise, be obtained only at disproportionate cost.