§ Margaret MoranTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps she is taking to ensure that judges and the judiciary receive training to recognise and deal with cases of domestic violence. [97744]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonMy Department continues to work closely with the Judicial Studies Board to develop training for judges and magistrates that takes account of the growing body of knowledge about domestic violence.
All newly appointed part time judges, and all judges who are authorised to hear family cases, are required to attend a residential "Induction Course" in the relevant jurisdiction. Thereafter, both full and part time judges attend residential continuation seminars every three years in each jurisdiction they exercise. The amount of training time provided on domestic violence in JSB courses and seminars is shown in the annexed table. Many judges also attend locally organised conferences.
In addition all full and part time judges sitting in the Crown Court attend an annual one-day Circuit Seminar on sentencing issues, for which the theme last year was Domestic Violence. This provided, on average, up to five hours of additional training on this subject in 2000–01.
Training of Magistrates is the statutory responsibility of individual Magistrates' Courts Committees. But the JSB assists by producing generic training materials, and is currently working on a training package specifically on domestic violence.
I also launched a guide on 21 February to inform service providers of the current remedies available to victims of domestic violence in the civil and criminal courts. It is my hope that the magistrates and the professional judiciary will also find this a useful source of information.
We will continue to identify further action in every area of our responsibilities, and in those areas of responsibility that we share with other Government Departments, to make sure that tackling domestic violence and protecting its victims (adults and children) are given the priority they deserve.