§ Mr. BoatengTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what percentage of defendants(a) in custody and (b) on bail are not dealt with in the target times set out in the Courts Charter; what number of defendants (i) in custody and (ii) on bail this affects on average each month; how many defendants in custody have to wait more than (1) three months, (2) six months and (3) 12 months before trial; and what percentages of defendants in custody these numbers represent.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe available information covering the year 1993 is shown in the table. Statistics on the number of defendants in custody waiting more than 12 months before trial at the Crown court and the distribution of waiting times at magistrates courts are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Committals for trial to the Crown court: defendants whose waiting time for trial exceeded certain periods in 1993 Defendants exceeding waiting time Type of remand and waiting time Percentage Average number per month In custody: 8 weeks 51 906 12 weeks 33 575 26 weeks 11 196 On bail 16 weeks 36 1,950 Notes:
594W
- 1. The data are provisional.
- 2 The Courts Charter waiting time guidelines are eight weeks for defendants in custody and 16 weeks for defendants on bail.
§ Mr. BoatengTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the longest period for which a defendant has had to wait in custody before trial in the last three years.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.