§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Attorney-General how many cases were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service for each year since its formation; how many were abandoned prior to(a) court stages and (b) trial; how many resulted in (i) conviction, (ii) acquittal and (iii) discharge; and if he will make a statement. [19027]
§ The Attorney-GeneralTable 1 shows the number of cases referred to the Crown Prosecution Service since its inception. The figures are inclusive of cases in which the service advised the police pre-charge, and of non-criminal proceedings.
Table 2 shows the number of cases completed by the service and the way in which they were finalised: these figures are available in a consistent format only since April 1991. Cases in which the Crown Prosecution Service advised the police pre-charge and non-criminal proceedings are identified separately.
The remainder of finalised cases are divided into those discontinued before the first court hearing; discontinuances at the first hearing and subsequent to the first hearing, but before trial; cases written off; those resulting in a bind over to keep the peace; committals to the Crown court; proceedings discharged at a committal hearing; and cases heard in magistrates' courts. Hearings are inclusive of guilty pleas as well as cases proceeding to a contested hearing after a plea of not guilty.
Table 3 shows the number and proportion of hearings resulting in conviction and in dismissal.
Table 2: Crown Prosecution Service completed cases in Magistrates' Courts Year ending March Finalised Advice Non criminal proceedings Discontinued before first hearing Discontinued before trial Write off Bind over Committed to Crown Court Discharged at committal Heard in Magistrates' Court 1992 1,568,853 73,337 22,752 12,282 162,167 78,730 28,673 129,667 2,872 1,058.747 1993 1,532,512 72,549 26,105 12,453 181,321 87,652 27,834 112,082 2.153 1,010,495 1994 1,454,239 72,146 27,097 11,526 157,181 117,358 23,555 102,549 1,774 941,053 1995 1,477,617 72,169 28,616 10,492 150,937 141,783 23,166 103,593 1,601 945,295 1996 1,352,330 53,433 22,705 12,870 139,859 112,316 18,822 91,255 1,511 899,594 19971 987,702 34,326 9,805 10,476 103,897 74,341 15,158 72,572 1,415 665,713 1 April 1996 to December 1996 only.
Table 3: Crown Prosecution Service case outcomes Year ending March Convicted Per cent. Dismissed Per cent. 1992 1,040,997 97.4 27,753 2.6 1993 993,018 97.6 24,507 2.4 1994 925,698 97.7 21,470 2.3 1995 931,136 97.8 20,997 2.2 1996 886,562 97.9 18,637 2.1 19971 656,630 98.1 12,951 1.9 1 April 1996–December 1996 only.