§ 36. Ian Lucas (Wrexham)If he will make a statement on how judges and magistrates are trained in the comparative efficacy of criminal sentencing. [41550]
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (Mr. Michael Wills)Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board, which is an independent and non-departmental public body that also supervises the training of magistrates.
All newly appointed recorders and deputy district judges are required to attend a residential induction course before they commence sitting, and to visit the probation service and a prison. Thereafter, every three years both judges and recorders attend residential continuation seminars, which cover both sentencing policy and practice. They also attend sentencing seminars, which are run by their presiding judges.
163 Magistrates are trained by their legal advisers in their local courts, and they receive guidance on sentencing from the Magistrates Association.
§ Ian LucasI am grateful to my hon. Friend for that reply, but does he accept that magistrates, in particular, do not receive sufficient detailed information on the effectiveness of non-custodial sentences, which is perhaps reflected in the disproportionate number of custodial sentences handed down by magistrates courts? Will he therefore look into the matter further and try to increase the number of non-custodial sentences imposed by magistrates courts?
§ Mr. WillsI can assure my hon. Friend that we are constantly looking at the best way to achieve efficacy in sentencing. He will be well aware of the recommendations of the Halliday report. They are still under consideration, and the Government will announce their decision shortly.