§ Mr. Greg KnightTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many district judges (magistrates courts) sit in England and Wales, broken down by county; and what plans he has to increase this number. [12386]
§ Mr. WillsThe table shows where stipendiary magistrates (now district judges (magistrates courts)) are based, county by county. London includes the senior district judge and her deputy. A competition is under way to fill the following vacancies included in the figures—two in London, one in Greater Manchester, one in Middlesex, one in Nottinghamshire, one in South Yorkshire and one in West Yorkshire. The Government are considering Lord Justice Auld's recommendations which may have an impact on the number of these appointments required.
District judges (magistrates courts) district bench by county County Number Bristol 1 Cheshire 1 Cleveland 1 Derbyshire 2 Devon 1 Dorset 1 Essex 1 Greater Manchester 5 Hampshire 3 Humberside 1 Leicestershire 2 London 48 Merseyside 5 Middlesex 3 >Norfolk 1 Nottinghamshire 3 Shropshire 1 South Wales 3 South Yorkshire 5 Staffordshire 1 Sussex 2 West Midlands 10 West Yorkshire 5 Total 106