§ 37. Mr. BercowTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if she will make a statement on the future of the lay magistracy. [159326]
§ Jane KennedyGovernment Ministers have repeatedly assured Opposition Members of our support for the lay magistracy. Had it not been for opposition from those 53W Members to the proposed reform to mode of trial procedures, magistrates would by now have been given more work—and a greater variety of work—than they routinely do. Their attitude undermines confidence in the magistracy. I am dismayed to find that there are those who do not believe in their hearts that magistrates can be in charge of a fair trial.
§ 41. Ms Rosie WintertonTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on her plans for the lay magistracy. [159330]
§ Jane KennedyThe report by Rod Morgan and Neil Russell, "The Judiciary in the Magistrates' Courts", published on 14 December last year, concluded that to abolish or greatly diminish the role of the lay magistracy would not be widely understood or supported in the country, and the Government agree with that view.
Lord Justice Auld is currently conducting his independent review of the criminal courts. It would be premature to comment on that until he submits his report.