Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of training sessions for magistrates hosted by the Judicial College and local training committees are held (a) on weekdays during the day, (b) on weekdays in the evening and (c) on weekends.

To preserve the independence of the judiciary, the Lord Chief Justice (LCJ), the Senior President of Tribunals, and the Chief Coroner have statutory responsibility for training, under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, and Coroners and Justice Act 2009 respectively.

The Judicial College creates training material for magistrates, including some online training, and delivers leadership training directly. All other magistrates’ training is delivered by Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) using the Judicial College materials.

The Judicial College trains new leadership magistrates, such as bench chairs and deputy bench chairs. This includes training on their pastoral role as well as signposting to relevant resources, including guidance on how to assist with employment issues. Leadership magistrates are then supported in their roles by HMCTS, HR advisers, and by Inclusion and Diversity Magistrates.

Timetables of magistrate training sessions across England and Wales differ across regions. The majority of the training is provided on weekdays during the day, with some weekday evening sessions and some training delivered on weekends. The Judicial College also provides a range of online learning and development materials that are accessible to magistrates on demand.