HC Deb 15 April 1991 vol 189 cc123-4W
Mr. Dewar

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current daily rate paid to a temporary sheriff sitting in the sheriff court in Scotland.

Mr. Lang

The current daily rate effective from 1 April 1991 is £212.

Mr. Dewar

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many temporary sheriffs were employed in the Scottish courts for more than 80 per cent. of the available court sitting days in each of the last three years.

Mr. Lang

The information is set out in the table:

Reports published
Session Nursery Primary Secondary-independent Special College Community Total
1983–84 4 112 23 6 3 3 151
1984–85 7 118 21 9 1 2 158
1985–86 9 112 24 11 4 2 162
1986–87 11 116 26 6 2 2 163
1987–88 10 113 23 4 4 3 157
Year
1988 0
1989 0
1990 3

Mr. Dewar

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many temporary sheriffs hold commission to serve in sheriff courts in Scotland; how many sessions were put in by temporary sheriff courts for the latest period for which figures are available in Scotland; and what was the cost to his Department.

Mr. Lang

Ninety-three temporary sheriffs currently hold a commission to serve. Between 1 March 1990 and 28 February 1991, temporary sheriffs sat on 4,300 occasions at a cost of approximately £1,100,000.