Mr Timpson argued that the current retirement age of 70 for magistrates is outdated, given increasing life expectancy and the ongoing need for experienced justices. He highlighted the dramatic decrease in the number of magistrates from about 30,000 to less than 13,000 over the last decade, exacerbating a backlog of nearly half a million cases in magistrates courts. He emphasised that retaining older judges who are often more committed and experienced would help address this issue.