§ Mr. BRIANTasked the Home Secretary what is the number of men magistrates and women magistrates; what is the number of magistrates' benches in England and Wales; and how many of these include no women among the magistrates?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIt is impossible to state precisely the present number of magistrates. Since the passing of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act, 1919, 886 women have been appointed magistrates in England and Wales, but the Lord Chancellor has no knowledge how they are distributed among the several Petty Sessional Divisions. There are women upon the Commissions of the Peace of 59 counties, and there are two counties (Rutland and the Liberty of Ripon) where there are no women upon the Commission. There are women on 127 Borough Commissions, and on the Commissions of 95 boroughs (mainly small boroughs) there are no women. The work of placing women upon all the Commissions is proceeding as opportunity offers, but like the appointment of magistrates generally, it necessarily requires much care, and the question has to be considered upon each occasion in relation to the circumstances of the place concerned.