Oral Answers to Questions

Peter Aldous Excerpts

Tuesday 24th April 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Rory Stewart)]

As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, there has been an urgent notification process. We have put a plan in place. I have now visited HMP Nottingham, and I pay tribute to Tom Wheatley, the governor, for the work he is doing. He has a much better care process in place, and he has highly trained staff. We expect to see improvements soon at HMP Nottingham.

[Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con)]

T5. In Suffolk there is a growing problem in finding justices of the peace to chair family panels, which can be complex work in which experience and local knowledge are vital. Will the Lord Chancellor give consideration to resolving the problem in the short term by extending the retirement age for magistrates?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Lucy Frazer)]

My hon. Friend makes an important point about the important role that magistrates play within our legal justice system. The Secretary of State told the House of Lords Constitution Committee that the judicial age in general is being looked at in the round.