§ Mr. Dixonasked the Attorney-General, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Jarrow, 12 May 1981, Official Report, column 231, in which years there were more applicants than magistrates required; what method was used to determine the final list; and whether precautions were used to ensure that applicants did not wrongly assume that they had been turned down on the grounds of unsuitability.
The Solicitor-GeneralIn each of the three years 1978, 1979 and 1980 there were more applicants than new magistrates required for the South Tyneside bench, the number of appointments being respectively seven, nine and seven. It is the function of the Lord Chancellor's advisory committee to select for his consideration those candidates thought after interview to be the most suitable to fill the vacancies on the bench having regard to their personl qualities and the need to maintain reasonable balances of age, sex, occupation and geographical spread. It is made clear to candidates when they are interviewed that they will be considered among others and that, as the number of justices is limited, and the selection is influenced by the balances sought to be maintained, many who may be qualified and otherwise suitable cannot be recommended to the Lord Chancellor for appointment. Candidates are told that failure to gain appointment does not necessarily imply personal unsuitability.