§ Mr. MalinsTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to improve the(a) race and (b) gender awareness of (i) judges, (ii) stipendiary magistrates and (iii) lay justices. [5042]
§ Mr. HoonJudicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), which is a non-departmental governmental body. Following a major programme of seminars in ethnic minority awareness between 1994 and 1996 for circuit judges, recorders, assistant recorders, district judges and stipendiary magistrates, the JSB continues to include such training as part of induction training for newly appointed assistant recorders and deputy district judges. It has also held a number of sessions in both induction and continuation training on equal treatment, including gender awareness, and is considering how training in this area might be developed.
Lay magistrate training is delivered by magistrates courts committees but the JSB has a role in setting the syllabus. Lay magistrates already address the issue of equal treatment for all in the light of their judicial oath and the JSB has recently begun a study to identify the skills and knowledge required by lay magistrates to ensure equality of treatment for all who appear in their courts.