HC Deb 05 November 2001 vol 374 c78W
Tim Loughton

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord. Chancellor's Department how many court cases in magistrates courts have been abandoned in each of the last five years owing to non-appearance of(a) witnesses and (b) police witnesses. [12604]

Mr. Wills

Information has not been collected nationally on cases which have been abandoned. From 1 January 2002, a joint scheme will be implemented in England and Wales to collect data on the reasons for Cracked, Ineffective and Vacated trials in the magistrates courts.