§ 37. Sir FRANK SANDERSONasked the Attorney-General the number of justices of the peace now serving who are 90 years of age and over; whether he is aware that there are at the present time chairmen considerably over the age of 90 years; And will he consider imposing a limit to the age at which magistrates may serve?
§ The SOLICITOR-GENERAL (Sir Terence O'Connor)I regret I cannot give the information asked for in the first part of the question, as until a fairly recent date no records have been kept of the ages of justices of the peace. My Noble Friend the Lord Chancellor does not think that it would be practicable, or in the public interest, to impose a hard-and-fast limit of age on persons appointed to the bench; but he does not approve the appointment of persons of advanced age, and he, in his communications with advisory committees, encourages the recommendation of younger persons and suggests, by such means as are practicable, the withdrawal from the bench of persons whose age or infirmity disables them from effectively performing the duties of a magistrate.
§ Sir F. SANDERSONIs my hon. and learned Friend aware that there are cases of justices over the age of 90 who have actually fallen asleep during the hearing of a case, and does he not think there is a good case for limiting the age to 90 years?
§ Mr. THORNEIs the hon. and learned Member aware that the hon. Member now speaking is 80 years of age and as 1986 vigorous as some of the fellows who are only 40?
§ The SOLICITOR-GENERALThat is what I had in mind when I said that my noble Friend did not approve of a hard-and-fast age limit; it must depend on the question of efficiency in any particular case.
§ Mr. JAGGERWill the hon. and learned Gentleman impose an intelligence test at the same time as an age limit?