§ Mr. Nicholas Brownasked the Attorney-General if any magistrates for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne have not attended 26 petty sessions annually during the past three years.
§ The Attorney-GeneralYes, for various reasons which were satisfactory to the advisory committee or the Lord Chancellor such as illness, recent appointment and personal or business affairs.
§ Mr. Nicholas Brownasked the Attorney-General how many attendances at petty sessions there were by each magistrate for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne for the past three years.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe information required cannot be provided except at disproportionate costs. The average attendance for the bench as a whole was 35 during the 12-month period ending 30 September 1983.
§ Mr. Nicholas Brownasked the Attorney-General what is the average age of (a) the magistrates and (b) the members of the advisory committee on the appointment of magistrates for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe average age of the magistrates on the Newcastle upon Tyne bench can be798W ascertained only at disproportionate cost, but there are nine male and 11 female under 40, 36 male and 17 female between 40 and 49, 41 male and 32 female between 50 and 59 and 15 male and 12 female between 60 and 69. The average age of the members of the advisory committee is 59 years six months.
§ Mr. Nicholas Brownasked the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor is satisfied that all magistrates in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne reside within 15 miles of the city boundaries.
§ The Attorney-GeneralAll justices of the peace are required to reside in, or within 15 miles of, the area of the commission, in this instance the county of Tyne and Wear, unless in any particular case the Lord Chancellor has dispensed with this requirement. All the justices on the Newcastle upon Tyne bench meet this residential requirement, with one dispensation.
§ Mr. Nicholas Brownasked the Attorney-General how many of the present magistrates for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne (a) answered and (b) did not answer question 16 on the application form for the magistracy; and what are the total numbers of magistrates for each political party.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe information required in the first part of the question cannot be ascertained except at disproportionate cost, but virtually all candidates answer question 16 on the application form. But some give answers such as "floating voter", "uncommitted", "vote for the best candidate". The political opinions of the justices on the Newcastle upon Tyne bench, which is not synonymous with membership of political parties, are recorded as 78 Conservative, 63 Labour, 10 Liberal, 1 Social Democrat and 22 Independent or uncommitted. These opinions were noted at the time of appointment and are not updated.
§ Mr. Nicholas Brownasked the Attorney-General which persons or bodies in any area are entitled to know the identity of the members of the local magistracy.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe extent to which the names, or names and addresses, of justices of the peace can be made available to the public depends entirely on the views of the justices themselves. The services of a magistrate can be obtained on application to the local clerk to the justices.
§ Mr. Nicholas Brownasked the Attorney-General how the general public in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne are advised of meetings of the advisory committee on the appointment of magistrates for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThey are not so advised.