§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he is taking to modernise the court environment. [51723]
§ Mr. HoonThe Court Service has an on-going programme of maintenance and repair, and minor improvements for their court buildings. Magistrates' Courts Committees have similar programmes for the courts they occupy. Guidance has been issued by both the Court Service and Lord Chancellor's Department Headquarters for magistrates courts on the type of facilities it is expected should be provided in new or refurbished court buildings including facilities for disabled people and separate waiting rooms for witnesses. The Court Service is also taking forward a project to provide a testbed for new technology in the courts. The aim is to pilot different types of technology, in a live
(a) The number of female judges and judges of ethnic minority origin as at 1 July 1998 Total Women Black Asian Ethnic minority other Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Lords of Appeal in Ordinary 12 0 — 0 — 0 — 0 — Lord Justices of Appeal 35 1 2.9 0 — 0 — 0 — Heads of Divisions (excluding the Lord Chancellor) 4 0 — 0 — 0 — 0 — High Court Judges 97 7 7.2 0 — 0 — 0 — Circuit Judges 556 34 6.1 0 — 3 0.5 2 0.4 Recorders 836 65 7.8 6 0.7 3 0.4 4 0.5 Assistant Recorders 396 71 17.9 4 1 5 1.3 4 1 District Judges 358 46 12.8 0 — 1 0.3 3 0.8 Deputy District Judges 754 90 11.9 2 0.3 7 0.9 3 0.4 Stipendiary Magistrates 88 13 14.8 0 — 2 2.3 0 — Acting Stipendiary Magistrates 114 22 19.3 2 1.8 0 — 2 1.8
(b) and (c) The number of Queen's Counsel, and other members of the Bar who are women and/or of ethnic minority origin1 Total Women Black Asian Ethnic minority other Unknown ethnicity Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Queen's Counsel (as at 9 April 1998) 1,034 73 7 7 0.7 7 0.7 3 0.3 — Other barristers (as at 18 July 1997 9,257 2,539 27 209 2 272 3 182 2 2,029 1 Figures supplied by the Bar Council