HC Deb 20 March 1989 vol 149 cc450-1W
Mr. Cryer

To ask the Attorney-General how many Crown court judges are in post; what is their current training; what social services, psychological, or commun-ity service training is undertaken before or during appointment; and if he will make a statement.

The Solicitor-General

There are 405 circuit judges of whom the majority regularly sit in the Crown court. Circuit judges are appointed from recorders and assistant recorders who will have sat regularly on a part-time basis.

Before assistant recorders are permitted to sit they must have completed a study programme which comprises:

  1. (a) visits to the prison and probation services;
  2. (b) attendance at a residential 3½ day induction course;
  3. (c) sitting in with an experienced judge for a minimum of five days.

Every year each circuit holds one or more conferences which all circuit judges and part-time members of the judiciary are expected to attend. Speakers from the prison and probation service regularly attend these conferences. After 3½ years' sitting assistant recorders attend a three-day residential refresher seminar. Thereafter, together with all circuit judges and other part-time members of the judiciary they attend further refresher seminars every five years. In addition, the judicial studies board has initiated a series of induction and refresher courses in the civil and family field which have, inter alia, dealt with housing benefit.

Mr. Cryer

To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the occasions when people have been imprisoned for contempt by Crown court judges or their equivalent for each year from 1970; and if he will make a statement.

The Solicitor-General

It is not possible to distinguish between contemnors committed to prison by reference to the type of tribunal ordering the committal. However, the table provided shows the numbers of men and women committed to prison for contempt for the period 1970 to 1987 and the average length of imprisonment for all contemnors for each year during the period 1975 to 1987.

Receptions
Males Females Total
1970 289 10 299
1971 318 42 360
1972 534 23 557
1973 500 18 518
1974 547 15 562
1975 751 15 766
1976 810 24 834
1977 900 33 933
1978 923 34 957
1979 923 31 954
1980 804 24 828
1981 877 36 913
1982 933 40 973
1983 934 37 971
1984 1,020 38 1,058
1985 936 46 982
1986 976 40 1,016
1987 924 41 965
Estimated Average time spent in custody by persons committed in Contempt of Court (in days)
Days
1975 14
1976 14
1977 17
1978 18
1979 18
1980 19
1981 15
1982 13
1983 14
1984 14
1985 17
1986 18
1987 18