§ Mr. CurryTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average cost of training a new magistrate for(a) criminal work, (b) youth court work, (c) family court work and (d) licensing court work. [3720]
§ Mr. HoonNo figures are collected nationally on the cost of training newly appointed law magistrates or the cost of training magistrates when they are first appointed to serve on the youth, family or licensing panels.
§ Mr. CurryTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the running costs per hour of the magistrates court(a) at Ripon, (b) at Harrogate, (c) at Skipton, (d) in North Yorkshire as a whole and (e) in England and Wales as a whole. [3717]
§ Mr. HoonThe average running cost per court sitting hour in North Yorkshire in 1996 was £225.67, and in England and Wales as a whole was £272.84. The information requested is not available at PSD level.
§ Mr. CurryTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average length of service of magistrates(a) on the Ripon bench, (b) in North Yorkshire and (c) in England as a whole. [3721]
§ Mr. HoonThe average length of service of magistrates on(a) the Ripon Bench is 12 years and (b) in North Yorkshire is 10 years; (c) information covering England and Wales as a whole could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. CurryTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimate he has made of the additional costs to the Probation Service following the proposed closure of Ripon Liberty magistrates court resulting from(a) travel to and from Harrogate court, (b) the possible increase in the number of adjournments and (c) additional time spent travelling. [3725]
§ Mr. HoonNone. Magistrates' courts are provided by the local paying authority for the use of the magistrates' courts committee (MCC). Closure decisions are for the MCC to determine, although a contributing local authority may appeal to the Lord Chancellor against a proposed closure. The procedure for such appeals is set out in section 56 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1979. In the absence of an appeal the Lord Chancellor has no locus in the matter
112WWhilst a consultation process has been undertaken on possible closures, North Yorkshire MCC has made no determination to close any courts, at this time.