§ Mr. VazTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many county court oficers are employed; and, of these, how many are(a) black, (b) Asian and (c) women.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe number of county court officers employed by the Lord Chancellor's Department is 5,018 at 12 June 1992. Approximately 78 per cent. of these have responded to the Department's ethnic origin questionnaire. Of the officers who have an ethnic record, 94 are black and 91 are Asian. A total of 3,382 of the officers are women.
Combined court centres deal with county and Crown court matters. A total of 2,484 officers work within the combined court centres. We are not able to distinguish the number who work solely on county court matters. Approximately 80 per cent. of combined court centre officers have responded to the Department's ethnic origin questionnaire. Of the offices who have an ethnic record, 13 are black and 35 are Asian. A total of 1,666 of the officers are women.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the number of district judges; and how many are(a) black, (b) Asian and (c) women.
Mr. John M. TaylorOn 1 June 1992 there were 266 district judges, including those in the principal registry of the Family Division of the High Court.
The ethnic origin of members of the judiciary and of applicants for judicial posts was not recorded prior to the autumn of 1991 and the formal records in respect of ethnic origin are therefore incomplete.
It is, however, believed that there are at present no black district judges. There is one Asian—who is a woman—and 18 women holding this office.