§ 43. Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Attorney-General how many justices of the peace are currently in post; how many of these are from ethnic minorities; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe total number of active justices of the peace in England and Wales at 1 January 1989 was 28,211. Records are not kept of the racial origins of magistrates but surveys in 1987 indicated that 528 were members of an ethnic minority.
Since then an informal count has revealed that the number of appointments of justices from the ethnic minority has exceeded their proportion in the population age groups from which appointments are normally made. Subject to the personal suitability of candidates, it is desirable that each bench should broadly reflect the local community. Where this is not currently the case, advisory committees seek to redress the balance.