§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will place in the Library the conclusions of his consideration of the financial implications of the Government's proposals to change the right of defendants to elect trial by jury; [99059]
(2) what estimate he has made of the net cost savings which will be made if the Government's proposals to limit the right to elect for trial by jury were implemented. [98760]
§ Mr. Charles Clarke[holding answer 22 November 1999]: It is estimated that around 12,000 fewer defendants will be tried in the Crown Court annually. These defendants would instead be tried in magistrates' courts. We estimate that the savings to the criminal justice system will be £105 million, taking into account the costs of appeals against the magistrates' decision.