§ 39. Sir A. WILSONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the terms of reference of the Summary Courts (Social Services) Departmental Committee cover consideration of the reform of the constitution and procedure of courts of summary jurisdiction when dealing with matrimonial disputes, including limitation of access to the courts by Press and public, limitation of number of justices forming the court, and the addition of lay justices to the courts of stipendiary magistrates, or whether the committee will consider only the better formal investigation of such cases by probation officers?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir John Gilmour)The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The function of the committee is to consider the organisation of the social services connected with the administration of justice in summary courts, including the work done by probation officers by way of conciliation in matrimonial cases. It is believed that fuller knowledge of the extent to which extra-judicial methods of conciliation can be used effectively will greatly facilitate the consideration of the question whether changes are desirable 1758 in the constitution and procedure of the courts, along the lines suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend.