asked the Attorney-General how many of the present judges of criminal courts were previously regular prosecuting counsel; and what percentage this is of the total of such judges.

The only counsel who can be said to be engaged regularly in prosecuting are the Treasury Counsel whom the Director of Public Prosecutions briefs to prosecute in his cases at the Central Criminal Court. These counsel, however, can be and are on occasion briefed to defend. There are 252 judges including the stipendiary magistrates with criminal jurisdiction in England and Wales of whom 2 per cent. namely five in all, were formerly Treasury Counsel at the Central Criminal Court.