15 Oct 1996 : Column: 827
Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 15 October 1996
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Serious Fraud Office
Mr. Wareing: To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to review the workings of the Serious Fraud Office; and if he will make a statement. [40554]
The Attorney-General: The Serious Fraud Office continues to implement recommendations made in the Graham report and by the Davie group, including measures to rationalise its investigative function and to make the most efficient use of police resources. I have no plans for further reorganisation.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Magistrates Courts
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the total number of magistrates' courts in each region, for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [39116]
Mr. Streeter [pursuant to reply, 24 July 1996, c. 340]: The information requested is not collected centrally. Magistrates' courts are locally managed by magistrates' courts committees under the provisions of the Justices of the Peace Act 1979.
| Magistrates courts' committee area | The number of magistrates courts 1992 to 1996 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | |
| Avon | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Barking | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Barnet | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Barnsley | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Bedfordshire | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Berkshire and Oxfordshire | 16 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 |
| Bexley | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Birmingham | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Bolton | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Brent | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Bromley | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Buckinghamshire | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Bury | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Calderdale | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Cambridgeshire | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Cheshire | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 |
| City of London | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Cleveland | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Cornwall | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Coventry | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Croydon | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Cumbria | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 |
| Derbyshire | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Devon | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 |
| Doncaster | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Dorset | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Dudley | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Durham | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Dyfed | 15 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Ealing | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| East Sussex | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Enfield | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Essex | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
| Gateshead | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Gloucestershire | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Gwent | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Hampshire | 16 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 10 |
| Haringey | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Harrow | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Havering | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Hereford and Worcester | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Hertfordshire | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Hillingdon | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Hounslow | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Humberside | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 10 |
| Inner London | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 17 |
| Isle of Wight | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Kent | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 |
| Kingston upon Thames | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Knowsley | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Lancashire | 16 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Leeds | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Leicestershire | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Lincolnshire | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Manchester | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Merton | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Newham | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Norfolk | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
| North Tyneside | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| North Wales | 24 | 24 | 24 | 21 | 19 |
| North Yorkshire | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 |
| Northamptonshire | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Northumberland | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Nottinghamshire | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Oldham | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Powys | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Redbridge | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Richmond upon Thames | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Rochdale | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Rotherham | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Salford | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Sandwell | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Sefton | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Sheffield | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Shropshire | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Solihull | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Somerset | 12 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| South Wales | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| South Tyneside | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| St. Helens | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Staffordshire | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
| Stockport | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Suffolk | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Sunderland | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Surrey | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Sutton | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tameside | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Trafford | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Walsall | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Waltham Forest | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Warwickshire | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| West Glamorgan | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| West Riding Metropolitan | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| West Sussex | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Wigan | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Wiltshire | 11 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Wirral | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Wolverhampton | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 576 | 537 | 526 | 510 | 491 |
15 Oct 1996 : Column: 829
Mr. Carlile: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many magistrates' courts are, (a) administered by an office in a different area, and (b) deal with custody cases in another area; what were the figures five years ago; and if he will make a statement. [39072]
Mr. Streeter [holding answer 24 July 1996]: The information requested is not collected centrally. Magistrates' courts are locally managed by magistrates' courts committees under the provisions of the Justices of the Peace Act 1979.
The extra time to answer this question afforded by the parliamentary adjournment has allowed officials to contact each of the 100 MCCs, and for the requested information to be collected. The cost of this exercise has exceeded the maximum limit set for answering parliamentary questions.
| Magistrates court's committee area | Magistrates courts administered by an office in a different area | Number of courts dealing with custody cases in a different area | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 1996 | 1992 | 1996 | |
| Avon | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Barking | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Barnet | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Barnsley | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Bedfordshire | 4 | 4 | -- | -- |
| Berkshire and Oxfordshire | 4 | 4 | -- | -- |
| Bexley | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Birmingham | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Bolton | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Brent | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Bromley | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Buckinghamshire | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Bury | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Calderdale | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Cambridgeshire | 3 | 4 | -- | -- |
| Cheshire | 1 | -- | -- | -- |
| City of London | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Cleveland | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Cornwall | 8 | 6 | -- | -- |
| Coventry | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Croydon | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Cumbria | 8 | 6 | -- | -- |
| Derbyshire | 2 | 2 | -- | 1 |
| Devon | 4 | 3 | -- | -- |
| Doncaster | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Dorset | 7 | 7 | -- | -- |
| Dudley | 1 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Durham | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Dyfed | 9 | 6 | -- | -- |
| Ealing | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| East Sussex | 3 | -- | -- | -- |
| Enfield | -- | -- | -- | |
| Essex | 6 | 5 | -- | -- |
| Gateshead | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Gloucestershire | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Gwent | 8 | 6 | 10 | 8 |
| Hampshire | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Haringey | 1 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Harrow | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Havering | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Hereford and Worecester | 1 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Hertfordshire | 5 | 3 | -- | -- |
| Hillingdon | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Hounslow | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Humberside | 11 | 6 | -- | -- |
| Inner London | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Isle of Wight | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Kent | 5 | 9 | -- | -- |
| Kingston Upon Thames | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Knowsley | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Lancashire | 2 | 4 | -- | -- |
| Leeds | 4 | 4 | -- | -- |
| Leicestershire | 3 | 5 | -- | 1 |
| Lincolnshire | 6 | 7 | -- | -- |
| Liverpool | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Manchester | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Merton | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Newham | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Norfolk | 3 | 2 | -- | -- |
| North Tyneside | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| North Wales | 9 | 7 | -- | -- |
| North Yorkshire | 5 | 7 | -- | 1 |
| Northamptonshire | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Northumberland | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Oldham | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Powus | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| Redbridge | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Richmond upon Thames | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Rochdale | -- | 1 | -- | 1 |
| Rotherham | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Salford | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Sandwell | -- | -- | -- | 1 |
| Sefton | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Sheffield | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Shropshire | 4 | 5 | -- | -- |
| Solihull | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Somerset | -- | 1 | -- | -- |
| South Wales | 1 | 1 | -- | -- |
| South Tyneside | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| St. Helens | -- | 1 | -- | -- |
| Staffordshire | 5 | 8 | -- | 2 |
| Stockport | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Suffolk | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Sunderland | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Surrey | 3 | -- | -- | -- |
| Sutton | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Tameside | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Trafford | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Walsall | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Waltham Forest | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Warwickshire | 2 | 3 | -- | -- |
| West Glamorgan | 2 | 3 | -- | -- |
| West Riding Metropolitan | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| West Sussex | 3 | 2 | -- | -- |
| Wigan | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Wiltshire | 6 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Wirral | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Wolverhampton | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Total | 161 | 148 | 21 | 26 |
Where a section shows no value the answer was none.
15 Oct 1996 : Column: 831
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