HC Deb 11 December 1991 vol 200 cc419-20W
Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Attorney-General how many metropolitan stipendiary magistrates were in office on 1 December 1989, 1990 and 1991, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

The Attorney-General

The number of metropolitan stipendiary magistrates in office on 1 December in each of the following years was:

Year Number
1989 45
1990 48
1991 50

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Attorney-General how many provincial stipendiary magistrates were in office on 1 December 1989, 1990 and 1991, respectively; and if he will make as statement.

The Attorney-General

The number of provincial stipendiary magistrates in office on 1 December in each of the following years was:

Year Number
1989 17
1990 18
1991 26

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on his assessment of the cost-effectiveness of the stipendiary magistracy.

The Attorney-General

Stipendiary magistrates are appointed primarily to support the lay magistracy in dealing with heavy workloads and in reducing or avoiding delays. Their cost-effectiveness arises from the generally greater speed with which they deal with cases, particularly complex ones, as compared with a purely lay bench in the circumstances in which it is appropriate to appoint them.