To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many complaints he has received against judges (a) in total and (b) for not complying with the charter for court users in the last five years in (i) the north-west as a whole and (ii) in the Merseyside area; and if he will make a statement. [3975]

This information is not available in the form requested. Records relating to complaints received centrally about the personal conduct of judges have been kept only since March 1992. Since that date, 62 such complaints regarding judges sitting on the northern circuit have been received. Information on complaints relating to judicial decisions is held by the Court Service, which has received centrally 297 such complaints since it was established on 1 April 1995. Information on complaints relating to judicial decisions broken down on a regional basis could be provided only at disproportionate cost.The charter for court users, which came into effect on 1 September 1995, sets out the standards court users can expect from the administration of the Court Service. It does not therefore apply to the work of the judiciary.