§ Mr. DevlinTo ask the Attorney-General what are the criteria which the Lord Chancellor uses in deciding whether to appoint stipendiary magistrates; whether the Teesside bench of magistrates meets such criteria; and if the Lord Chancellor will consider appointing stipendiary magistrates for Teesside.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe Lord Chancellor is at present examining the criteria which would lead to consideration of the appointment of a stipendiary magistrate for a petty sessional division or commission area. The policy has been for the Lord Chancellor to act on a request for the appointment of a stipendiary magistrate from the justices themselves. No such request has been received from the Teesside justices.
The Lord Chancellor is always ready to consider the appointment of a stipendiary magistrate in any commission area where the need is established.
Mr. DelvinTo ask the Attorney-General what is the size of the lay bench of magistrates at Teesside; and what is the average size of lay benches in England.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThere are 265 lay justices of the peace assigned to the Teesside petty sessional division. As at 1 January 1987, there were 27,650 active justices in England and Wales and 583 benches, giving an average size of 47.7.