§ Mr. Greenwayasked the Attorney-General what information he has as to the total costs of public funds of the court cases involving the ban by three London boroughs on News International publications in public libraries; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-GeneralThe total cost to central Government of these cases is estimated at £4,600. This includes the cost of court accommodation and the salaries of the judiciary and court staff involved. As regards fees to the legal profession, these are for the parties concerned. News International obtained an order for costs.
Proceedings at Magistrates' Courts for Seat Belt Offences1, by Police Force Area: 1984 and 1985 England and Wales Number of Offences 1984 1985 Police Force Area Proceedings Findings of guilt Proceedings Findings of guilt Avon and Somerset 486 421 884 726 Bedfordshire 140 128 126 107 Cambridgeshire 176 175 93 91 Cheshire 147 138 483 463 Cleveland 208 198 216 196 Cumbria 367 355 539 506 Derbyshire 223 187 491 446 Devon and Cornwall 547 525 6S8 621 Dorset 299 280 326 309 Durham 138 130 261 231 Essex 201 168 512 485 Gloucestershire 100 96 79 75 Greater Manchester 547 524 1,074 1,020 Hampshire 176 163 251 230 Hertfordshire 596 549 468 450 Humberside 233 217 234 216 Kent 229 208 236 215 Lancashire 267 235 432 389 Leicestershire 335 312 330 305 Lincolnshire 138 125 146 137 City of London 12 10 21 19 Merseyside 67 50 60 54 Metropolitan Police 298 270 537 508 Norfolk 300 287 513 501 Northamptonshire 114 103 64 58 Northumberland 298 249 235 193 North Yorkshire 272 239 208 182 Nottinghamshire 60 51 137 125 South Yorkshire 657 610 559 506 Staffordshire 240 217 331 305 Suffolk 37 36 75 67 Surrey 159 151 346 316 Sussex 101 96 117 114 Thames Valley 631 580 SS4 799 Warwickshire 102 94 234 222 West Mercia 210 193 339 315 West Midlands 944 855 1,009 903 West Yorkshire 275 200 371 297 Wiltshire 151 146 120 115 Dyfed-Powys 65 60 14 12 Gwent 126 112 228 217 North Wales 886 862 710 691 South Wales 357 330 417 378 Total 11,915 10,935 15,338 14,115 1 Driving or riding in a motor vehicle not wearing a seat belt, or driving with child in the front not wearing seat belt.