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I am grateful to both Mr Hawkins and Mr Ryan for dignifying with their observations, my original (and unequivocal) approval of the imaginative and I believe, essentially sound idea of "Ex-offenders for the Bench".

The fact that some, many or even most ex-offenders would not be worthy candidates for the lay magistracy is not in my respectful submission, adequate reason for excluding every single one of them.

Let us at last start off with a pilot scheme, and as with all such overdue reforms, the sooner the better. Over to you, Mr Grayling.