Clause 27 - Justices' clerks and assistant clerks
Courts Bill [Lords]
11:15 am
Mr David Heath (Somerton and Frome, Liberal Democrat)
I rise briefly to support the hon. Member for Surrey Heath. I can see a strong rationale for this nationalisation—as it were—of the justices' clerks, but it is desperately important to maintain the local connections between the justices' clerk and the bench that he or she supports. We should also maintain the confidence of each one in the other. Anything that adds to that confidence is to be encouraged, and the hon. Gentleman's amendments will help in that process.