HC Deb 17 May 1993 vol 225 cc70-1W
Mr. Blair

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases were outstanding at the Crown court at the end of each of the last 10 years.

Mr. John M. Taylor

The table shows the number of outstanding cases for trial at the end of each year since 1983. The 1992 figure is provisional and liable to revision to take account of any late amendments.

Crown Court: Committals for Trial Number of Outstanding cases for Trial 1983–1992
Number
1983 21,755
1984 22,036
1985 23,247
1986 21,619
1987 24,235
1988 25,941
1989 23,815
1990 26,715
1991 29,420
1992 29,186

Mr. Blair

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many Crown court cases were(a) received, (b) finalised, (c) tried, (d) not proceeded with or (e) otherwise disposed of in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. John M. Taylor

The table shows the total number of cases received at the Crown court for trial, the total number dealt with and a breakdown of how they were disposed of, during each year since 1983. Figures for 1992 are provisional and liable to change to take account of any late amendments.

Crown Court: Committals for Trial Receipts and Disposals: 1983–1992
Receipts Disposals
Total Guilty pleas Trials Other1
1983 73,524 72,567 41,234 25,744 5,589
1984 75,283 74,777 44,075 25,033 5,669
1985 83,898 82,788 50,099 26,004 6,685
1986 84,244 86,426 50,465 28,216 7,745
1987 98,873 96,197 59,218 28,006 8,973
1988 106,524 104,773 68,389 26,820 9,564
1989 98,668 101,232 64,570 26,830 9,832
1990 103,011 100,005 63,588 26,177 10,240
1991 104,754 101,999 62,591 27,608 11,800
1992 100,994 100,723 58,268 26,449 16,006
1 ie Bench Warrant issued, No Plea Recorded, Indictment to Lie on File, Found Unfit to Plead, etc.

Mr. Blair

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases heard by(a) the magistrates court and (b) the Crown court resulted in (i) convictions and (ii) dismissals for the last 10 years.

Mr. John M. Taylor

The only available information for magistrates courts is set out in table 1 showing the total number of defendants proceeded against for all offences and where the case was withdrawn or dismissed or resulted in a conviction, for each year 1983 to 1991. Table 2 shows the total numbers of defendants acquitted and convicted following trials in the Crown court for each year since 1983. The 1992 figures are provisional and liable to revision to take account of late amendments.

Table 1 Magistrates' Courts: Trials Number of defendants proceeded against for all offences1 where the case was withdrawn2/dismissed3 or resulted in a conviction4
Year Withdrawn/ Dismissed Convicted
1983 162,395 2,022,646
1984 177,183 1,888,329
1985 193,507 1,828,870
1986 236,921 1,814,719
1987 226,669 1,468,435
1988 240,562 1,464,287
1989 263,372 1,448,913
1990 295,106 1,431,394
1991 347,190 1,424,226
1 Includes indictable (including either way) and summary (including motoring) offences.
2 No evidence offered, not proceeded against or charge withdrawn.
3 After hearing the evidence, the court found the defendant not guilty.
4 Includes defendants who pleaded guilty.

Table 2 Crown Court: Committals for Trial Results of trials following a plea of Not Guilty to all counts
Defendants
Total Acquitted Convicted
1983 33,397 15,938 17,459
1984 32,290 15,962 16,328
1985 33,096 16,641 17,265
1986 36,058 17,667 18,391
1987 31,305 15,560 15,475
1988 32,049 17,542 14,507
1989 31,344 17,517 13,827
1990 29,993 17,241 12,752
1991 30,533 17,760 12,773
1992 27,784 15,534 12,250