§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals for introducing statutory time limits for the presentation of criminal trials in England and Wales.
§ Mr. MellorYes. Following field trials, we plan to introduce statutory time limits in three police areas—Avon and Somerset, Kent and the West Midlands—from 1 April next year. These limits will apply to the period for which an accused may be kept in custody—
- (a) while awaiting summary trial or committal by a magistrates' court in proceedings for an indictable offence instituted in any of those areas on or after 1 April, or
- (b) while awaiting trial in the Crown court at Bristol, Maidstone or Birmingham, having been committed on or after that date.
In the light of experience there we shall go on to apply custody limits throughout England and Wales. We have no immediate plans to exercise the powers to apply limits to periods when the accused is not in custody; these will come later.