§ 42. Mr. Whitakerasked the Attorney-General what plans he has for changes in the training of lawyers or magistrates.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe training of lawyers is the responsibility of the appropriate authorities in the two branches of the legal profession.
1020 So far as magistrates are concerned, all justices on first appointment to the bench or on appointment to a juvenile court panel are now required to undergo a course of training on the lines described in the White Paper laid before Parliament last December. My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor does not propose to make any changes until further experience has been gained of the working of the present arrangements.
§ Mr. WhitakerDoes not my right hon. and learned Friend-agree that training in elements of medical knowledge might be more useful for lawyers than, for example, knowledge of Roman law and might serve to diminish unfortunate misunderstandings between the legal and medical professions in court?
§ The Attorney-GeneralI think that members of the profession acquire a good deal of medical knowledge in the course of their work. But this is the kind of problem which those responsible for education will, no doubt, be bearing in mind.