Written question asked by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Tuesday, 30 March 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 6 April 2010. It was answered by Lord Wills (Labour) on Thursday, 8 April 2010 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

Magistrates: Age

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons upper age limits for magistrates are in place.

Answer: Magistrates retire on reaching the age of 70, as this is the statutory retirement age for judicial office holders.It is vital the magistrates reflect the diverse communities they serve. Over 80 per cent. of magistrates are over 50 and the average age is 57. The contribution of magistrates of all ages is invaluable. However, increasing the retirement age for magistrates would take them out of line with other judicial offices and hinder work to redress the age imbalance by reducing the number of available vacancies.

Secondary information