To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any progress has been made concerning the research he has commissioned for an appointments system in (a) the magistrates courts and (b) juvenile courts.

Since the publication last year of the results of research on ways of reducing waiting time on the day, the Home Office has held two seminars for justices' clerks and drawn the attention of all clerks to the reductions in waiting time which can be achieved by better listing practices. In addition, a new quality of service performance indicator is being developed within the magistrates courts management information system, which will, among other things, measure waiting times on the day. This will be introduced during 1990.