§ Mr. Andrew MitchellTo ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement concerning the use by the Crown prosecution service of lawyer agents in magistrates courts.
§ The Attorney-GeneralIn the long term, as and when lawyer strength permits, it would be the aim of the Crown prosecution service (CPS) to employ agents to cover only 5 to 10 per cent. of court sessions.
The number of sessions (half days) in magistrates courts undertaken by counsel and solicitors in private practice on behalf of the CPS in 1989–90 was 138,000. This represented 38 per cent. of all sessions undertaken by the CPS in the magistrates courts. The information given in annex 9 of the CPS evidence to the Home Affairs Committee was incorrect: the data had been wrongly interpreted. The percentage of court sessions covered by agents has remained at 38 per cent. for both 1988–89 and 1989–90. The revised figures are:
(a) Court sessions covered by agents National totals 1988–89 130,643 1989–90 138,066
(b) Percentage court sessions covered by agents Per cent. 1988–89 38 1989–90 38
(c) Expenditure on agents fees £ 1988–89 14,793,896 1989–90 16,473,527