Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time district judges are appointed to sit in magistrates' courts on criminal cases.

On 1 April 2016, there were 133 District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts) and 101 Deputy District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts) in post: all are eligible to hear criminal cases. These are the most recent official statistics.

This Government values the judiciary greatly. A strong, independent judiciary is essential for a modern, democratic society and we do not take for granted the central role judges play in upholding the rule of law and delivering justice. Our judges and magistrates are rightly held in high regard around the world. Magistrate remains a sought after role and competition for vacancies tends to be strong.