§ Mr. Nicholas Brownasked the Attorney-General how many members of the present advisory committee on the appointment of magistrates for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne who are also justices of the peace (a) answered question 5(a) on the application form for appointment to 245W the bench and (b) answered question 16 on the same application form; and what are the total answers in each category.
§ The Solicitor-GeneralAll the members of the Newcastle upon Tyne advisory committee are justices. Half of these were appointed to the bench prior to 1967, before which date forms are not available. The forms were altered to their present form in 1979. Of the remaining half of the advisory committee three answered the question relating to religion (numbered differently on the older version of the form) as the Church of England, one as Roman Catholic, and one as "Committed Christian". In reply to the question on political opinions two were described as Conservative, two as Labour, and one as, in effect, uncommitted.
§ Mr. Nicholas Brownasked the Attorney-General what statistical information the advisory committee on the appointment of magistrates for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne possesses concerning the religious opinions and affiliations of the citizens of Newcastle upon Tyne.
§ The Solicitor-GeneralThis information is not collected statistically.