Justices of the Peace Act 1997

62Inspectors of the magistrates' courts service

(1)The Lord Chancellor may appoint such number of inspectors of the magistrates' courts service (to be known collectively as “Her Majesty’s Magistrates' Courts Service Inspectorate”) as he may consider appropriate.

(2)The Lord Chancellor shall appoint one of the persons so appointed to be Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of the Magistrates' Courts Service.

(3)It shall be the duty of inspectors of the magistrates' courts service—

(a)to inspect and report to the Lord Chancellor on the organisation and administration of magistrates' courts for each magistrates' courts committee area; and

(b)to discharge such other functions in connection with the organisation and administration of magistrates' courts as the Lord Chancellor may from time to time direct.

(4)Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of the Magistrates' Courts Service shall make an annual report to the Lord Chancellor as to the discharge of the functions of the Inspectorate; and the Lord Chancellor shall, within one month of receiving the report, lay a copy of it before each House of Parliament.

(5)The Lord Chancellor shall make to or in respect of inspectors of the magistrates' courts service such payments by way of remuneration, allowances or otherwise as he may with the approval of the Treasury determine.