HC Deb 25 May 1999 vol 332 cc158-9
32. Ms Hazel Blears (Salford)

What role magistrates will play in the local partnerships established under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. [84161]

The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (Mr. Keith Vaz)

The magistrates courts committees will be consulted on issues that affect the work of the courts and invited to participate in partnerships established under the Crime and Disorder Act. Magistrates have a good understanding of local crime and disorder problems and will be able to provide valuable insights into those issues. It is important to keep open channels of communication if local partnerships are to be effective.

Ms Blears

I welcome my hon. Friend to his new position, and I hope to explore with him his views about locally administered justice. Magistrates are clearly crucial to crime and disorder partnerships, particularly in implementing anti-social behaviour orders and administering new community-based punishments. It is important that local magistrates benches should administer justice locally from the magistrates courts. In Salford, the bench is very involved in the partnership and administers justice locally. Does my hon. Friend agree that justice is best administered locally, within the community that the magistrates represent?

Mr. Vaz

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I know of her interest in this matter and that, last year, she met the chairman of the Salford advisory committee to discuss how to increase the number of local magistrates and to broaden the nature of the bench. Those issues concern magistrates and magistrates courts committees. Although magistrates ought to be involved in those aspects of policy, it is important also that they are independent; they should not be involved in managing local strategies and they should never discuss individual cases. As long as those parameters are clear, we should support their role in ensuring that partnerships are successful.

Mr. Christopher Gill (Ludlow)

Further to the hon. Lady's question, is the Minister aware of the serious concern expressed by magistrates in Shropshire about the prospect of the closure of custody units at police stations in market towns in the county? Will he take this opportunity to tell my constituents that he believes that it is important to retain the full range of services at police stations that serve local magistrates courts in market towns throughout Shropshire?

Mr. Vaz

Of course it is important that the full range of services is available, but clearly, in this case, local circumstances must be taken into account. If the hon. Gentleman feels strongly about the matter?this is the first time that he has brought it to my attention—and would like to discuss it with me, I will be happy to meet him and discuss it further.