§ Ms Janet AndersonTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many members of the magistracy in England and Wales were from an ethnic minority in(a) 1989 and (b) 1995; and what in each year was the total number of magistrates. [7625]
§ Mr. Jonathan EvansNo figures are currently available for the total number of magistrates who are from an ethnic minority. In England and Wales, excluding the Duchy of Lancaster, 4.7 per cent. of those appointed in 1989 were from an ethnic minority; between 1 January and 31 October 1995 the figure was 8.1 per cent. At 31 December 1989, excluding the Duchy of Lancaster, there were 24,521 magistrates and at 1 January 1995 there were 25,723.