§ Mr. WattsTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the representations he has received in favour of the jury system. [33746]
§ Mr. WillsOf the 487 representations received in response to the Auld report on criminal courts reform, a number of organisations including the Bar Council, the Law Society and private commentators have expressed concern about the report's recommendations that the defendant's automatic right to elect jury trial in either-way 835W cases should be abolished. As the Lord Chancellor has stated publicly, the Government are now considering the report's recommendations in detail, and hope to publish a White Paper announcing their conclusions before the summer recess. Responses from the general public and the main criminal justice stakeholders, subject to their agreement, are being placed on the Lord Chancellor's web site www.criminal-courts-review.org.uk
§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many(a) men and (b) women from ethnic minority backgrounds were selected for jury service at courts in Greater London during the last 12 months. [55200]
§ Mr. WillsWe do not collect information on the gender or ethnicity of people summoned to be, or sitting as, jurors. One of the main reasons for this is that jury summoning and selection is random at each stage, and it should therefore reflect the gender and ethnic breakdown of those who are registered to vote. This should also reflect regional variations, as catchment areas are based on the locality to the court.
However, a research study is currently being developed to explore the representation of ethnic minorities in jury pools. Further details will be announced in due course.