§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the efficiency of magistrates courts' committees; and if he will make a statement;
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Nationality Naturalisation1 Registration1 General immigration casework1 2 Asylum and related casework1 3 Outstanding cases October 63,553 24,485 20,910 29,936 November 64,818 23,853 21,931 32,566 December 63,597 22,677 21,765 35,304 January 61,331 21,859 20,919 37,666 Intakes October 1,645 969 30,656 6,261 November 1,425 803 30,264 5,800 (2) if he has received any representations on the report of the scrutiny team concerning magistrates courts; and if he will make a statement;
(3) whether his Department has any plans to reform the financial administration of magistrates courts; and if he will make a statement;
(4) if he will make a statement on his Department's response to the scrutiny report on magistrates courts' services.
§ Mr. John PattenNo decisions have yet been reached on the proposals for reorganising and financing the magistrates' courts service contained in the scrutiny report on the service. We have received views from the representative organisations of the service, magistrates courts' committees, individual members of the service and other interested parties. We are considering these views in the light of the assessment by independent consultants last year of the costs of implementation.