§ Mr. KinnockTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many justices of the peace fail to achieve attendance for the requirement minimum of 26 sittings of their respective benches a year.
§ Mr. KinnockTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his policy on the continuation of a magistrate system which includes members of the public from a wide spectrum of occupations and experience; and if he will make it his policy to encourage employers to co-operate with arrangements for their employees to meet the minimum requirements for justices of the peace.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe Lord Chancellor remains wholeheartedly committed to the concept of summary justice provided by lay people drawn from their local community and from a wide spectrum of backgrounds. In the past, the Lord Chancellor has written to the chairmen of major firms and organisations to encourage them to make employees available to serve as justices; on a local basis, his advisory committees from time to time make similar contacts.
§ Mr. KinnockTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many of those justices of the peace who have been officially recorded as being unable to meet the annual minimum attendance have signified that their absences were due to pressures of work or inability to secure release from work for the purpose of fulfilling their duties as magistrates; and how many of these people are civil servants.
§ Mr KinnockTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) how many civil servants are justices of the peace;
284W(2) how many civil servants who are justices of the peace are not allowed 18 days paid leave in order to permit them to fulfill their duties as magistrates;
(3) what are the civil service grades of those civil servants who are justices of the peace.