Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of sitting magistrates are currently in paid employment.

We currently do not hold data on sitting magistrates’ employment status.

We recognise the need to support magistrates in employment and have engaged with employed magistrates to understand the specific challenges they face. As a result, we have developed a range of resources including tools for magistrates to communicate effectively to their employer their responsibilities, the benefits of employing magistrates and how to manage sitting days alongside policy guidance to help employers understand their obligations around employed magistrates.

We also have dedicated information on the magistrates recruitment website for employers so they feel they have the right tools to support their employees. This includes information on the role and the benefits of employing magistrates.

Additionally, from 1st April 2021, we increased the Financial Loss Allowance by 16%. This increased the maximum allowance to £107.97 from £93.27 for salary employed magistrates, and to £134.96 from £116.58 for self-employed magistrates or magistrates with care costs.

To further encourage a diverse range of applicants to the magistracy, and support employed magistrates, the expenses policy now includes a new provision for those on zero hours contracts to claim loss of earnings.