My Department does not hold information on the number of magistrates courts clerks who were solicitors or barristers prior to the creation of Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS) on 1 April 2005. The responsibility for collecting this information would have rested with the former 42 independent magistrates courts committees. HMCS is in the process of developing a national Legal Adviser database which will provide this information. From the data currently available, I can confirm that of the magistrates court clerks employed by HMCS, approximately 65 per cent. are qualified solicitors, 30 per cent. are qualified barristers and 5 per cent. hold a national diploma in Magisterial Law.