§ Lord Stallardasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any London magistrates' courts are sending the records of community charge hearings, including the court registers, to the local authorities concerned, for completion or any other purpose, so that the court has no record of its own proceedings, at least temporarily; if so, whether they are satisfied that this is lawful or desirable; and, if not, what steps they propose to take in the matter.
Earl Ferrers:I understand that it is the practice in inner London to make two copies of the results of liability order hearings. One is signed by a magistrate and the other by the clerk in court. One is kept as the court register in accordance with Rule 66 of the Magistrates' Courts Rules 1981; the other is sent to the local authority for its records. I understand that on one recent occasion both copies were sent to the local authority but this was by mistake and one was 14WA subsequently retrieved. The administrative arrangements at inner London magistrates' courts are the responsibility of the chief clerks concerned.