§ Mrs. BrintonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who has awarded the contract to conduct the research into stipendiary and lay magistrates by the Lord Chancellor's Department. [101120]
§ Mr. StrawA contract was signed on 22 November on behalf of Professor Rod Morgan of the University of Bristol, who will lead a team consisting of colleagues in the Faculty of Law at the University of Bristol, researchers from Taylor Nelson Sofres (covering the fieldwork), and CRG Consultants (for the cost-benefit analysis).
The team will undertake research commissioned jointly by the Hone Office and the Lord Chancellor's Department, to assess the relative costs, effectiveness and other benefits or disadvantages of stipendiary and lay magistrates, taking into account all related costs including those of other agencies. It will be used to assess whether the current balance between the use of lay magistrates and stipendiaries is satisfactory; whether each set of magistrates is deployed in the most effective way; and the weight of arguments that are heard for and against the use of lay and stipendiary magistrates in particular circumstances.
The research is due to be completed in September 2000. The report will be published.