§ Mr. ByersTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many magistrates resigned for reasons other than age in each quarter since January 1988.
Mr. John M. TaylorIn the Lord Chancellor's area of responsibility, the figures for each of the quarters referred to, save for this year and the first quarter of 1992 cannot be given without disproportionate cost. Figures for the Duchy of Lancaster, where available, are shown in brackets. The number of losses for the years in the question and for the first quarter of 1992 and 1993, but excluding those justices who reached the statutory retirement age, are as follows:
Number 1988 659 1989 799 1990 794 1991 820 (167) First quarter 1992 256 (40) 1992 1,034 (165) First quarter 1993 261 (37)