asked the Attorney-General what was the percentage of cases in Crown courts during 1974 in which the defendant pleaded guilty; and what were the figures individually for Manchester, London, Liverpool, Surrey and Middlesex, respectively.

The percentage of defendants who pleaded guilty in the Crown courts during 1974 was as follows:

All Centres	61
Manchester	62
London	44
Liverpool	50
Surrey	55

As there is no longer a separate county of Middlesex the percentage of defendants at the Middlesex Guildhall has been included in the London figure. However, taken separately, the Middlesex Guildhall percentage was 43.

asked the Attorney-General what percentage of defendants pleading not guilty in Crown courts was convicted and what percentage acquitted during 1974; and what were the figures individually for Manchester, London, Liverpool, Surrey and Middlesex, respectively.

The information is as follows:

	Percentage convicted	Percentage acquitted
All centres	55	45
Manchester	54	46
London	55	45
Liverpool	47	53
Surrey	58	42

asked the Attorney-General what was the average period between committal and sentence for bailed defendants and defendants in custody in Manchester, London, Liverpool and Inner London Crown courts, respectively, during 1974; how this compared with the period immediately prior to the Courts Act; and whether he will give similar figures in respect of waiting times pending appeals in the Court of Appeal.

The average periods between committal for trial and the start of the hearing during 1974 were as follows:

	Weeks
	Bail	Custody
Manchester	7·3	5·5
London	22·1	11·7
Liverpool	6·6	4·8
Inner London Sessions House (included in the London figures)	25·0	10·4

No comparable figures are available for the period immediately prior to the Courts Act. The average period between the registration of an appeal or an application for leave to appeal and disposal, whether by abandonment or hearing, during 1974 was 14·4 weeks.