HC Deb 30 October 1995 vol 265 cc2-5W
Mr. Barry Jones

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the names and salaries of the inspectors of magistrates courts, and give their place of residence; and if he will make a statement. [39231]

Mr. John M. Taylor

Inspectors are currently paid on a civil service grade 7 salary range of £26,535 to £41,092 in London and £25,392 to £39,324 outside London. Progression through the range is subject to satisfactory performance.

Senior inspectors' salaries range between £35,113 and £38,211. They are also eligible for performance-related non-pensionable cash bonuses of up to a maximum of 15 per cent. of annual salary, subject to an overall maximum of 50 per cent. for the four-year period covered by their contracts.

All senior inspectors and inspectors are on four-year fixed-term appointments with the possibility of extension.

The names and places of residence are as follows:

  • Northern Team
  • Mr. Colin Monson (Senior Inspector)—North Yorkshire
  • Mrs. Sally Radford—North Yorkshire
  • Mr. Steve Jacobs—North Humberside
  • Mrs. Rachael Jenkinson—Derbyshire
  • Western Team
  • Miss Julia Eeles (Senior Inspector)—Gloucester
  • Mr. Malcolm Dodds—Avon
  • Mrs. Janet Macpherson—Avon
  • Mrs. Margaret Sleight—Avon
  • Eastern Team
  • Ms Sue Steel (Senior Inspector)—London
  • Mr. Michael Hughes—Hampshire
  • Mrs. Margaret Scorer—London
  • Ms Louise Goodfellow—London
  • Central and Southern Team
  • Mr. Duncan Gear (Senior Inspector)—Bedfordshire
  • Mr. Robert Spencer—North Humberside
  • Ms Susan Mew—Somerset

Mr. Jones

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which petty sessional divisions in Wales, within magistrates courts committees, have benches of(a) under 10 and (b) under 20 and if he will make a statement. [39228]

Mr. Taylor

The number of petty sessional divisions in Wales with a bench strength of(a) under 10 and under 20, on the latest information available, is as follows:

Magistrates courts committees may at any time submit to the Lord Chancellor, under section 23 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1979, proposals for reorganising the petty sessional divisions within their area or the Lord Chancellor may call for a review.

(a) Benches with under 10 justices
Number
Gogledd Preseli 9
Machynlleth 7
North Meirionnydd 9
Ystradgynlais 9
(b) Benches with under 20 justices
Number
Berwyn 15
Brecon 18
Carmarthen North 10
Ceredigion Ganol 14
De Ceredigion 12
Gogledd Ceredigion 19
Upper Rhymney Valley 13
Pwlheli/Porthmadog 17
Radnor and Brecknock 18
South Anglesey 18
South Meirionydd 19

Mr. Jones

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which magistrates courts areas in Wales have been inspected by Her Majesty's inspectorate; and if he will make a statement. [39226]

Mr. Taylor

The magistrates courts committee areas in Dyfed and Powys have already been inspected, in the 1995–96 inspection programme. The inspection reports will be published by the end of December 1995 and March 1996 respectively, with versions in Welsh.

Mr. Jones

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what extra resources he will provide to make magistrates court premises more welcoming, including the installation of vending machines; and if he will make a statement. [39230]

Mr. Taylor

The provision of refreshments and other facilities for court users is a matter to be determined locally by the magistrates courts committee. Each committee decides, in conjunction with the local authority, how its revenue budget is to be used in any year. Approval for capital projects is subject to the availability of funding and other priorities.

Mr. Jones

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many inspectors of magistrates courts are resident in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [39232]

Mr. Taylor

There are no inspectors of magistrates courts resident in Wales at present.

Mr. Jones

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many inspectors will inspect in Wales, in which HM inspectorate team they will inspect; and if he will make a statement. [39227]

Mr. Taylor

Each inspection of a Welsh magistrates courts committee will be carried out by the Western inspectorate team—consisting of a senior inspector and three inspectors. They will be joined on each inspection by an associate inspector, a staff member from a magistrates courts committee outside the Western team inspection area.

Mr. Jones

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement concerning his policy on smoking in magistrates courts. [39229]

Mr. Taylor

Where, if anywhere, smoking is permitted in a magistrates court is a matter of local policy to be determined by the magistrates courts committee.

Mr. Redmond

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the current breakdown by party political affiliation of members of the Doncaster bench. [38998]

Mr. Taylor

The current breakdown by party political affiliation of members of the Doncaster bench on the latest information available is as follows:

  • Conservative: 92
  • Labour: 50
  • Lib/Dem: 25
  • Independent/Not Known: 11

Mr. Jones

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many additional inspectors of magistrates courts he plans to employ, and if he will make a statement. [39233]

Mr. Taylor

There are no plans at present to increase the number of inspectors beyond the current complement of one chief inspector, four senior inspectors and 12 inspectors.