HL Deb 07 November 1962 vol 244 cc274-5

2.44 p.m.

LORD OGMORE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government when it is anticipated that the announced appointment of members of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council from Australia, New Zealand and Nigeria will be made; what expectations there are of similar appointments from other Commonwealth countries and whether it is intended that meetings of the Judicial Committee will take place in other Commonwealth capitals as well as in London.]

THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD DILHORNE)

My Lords, I have no reason to suppose that the appointments will be long delayed, and I am hopeful that we shall have the benefit of at least one of the additional Commonwealth Judges' services here early in the New Year. As I said to your Lordships last week, it is intended that the plan announced in regard to Australian, New Zealand and Nigerian Judges may be extended in due course to other members of the Commonwealth judiciary, but for the moment I can add nothing further to What I then said. The answer to the last part of the noble Lord's Question is that, for the present, it is not intended that the Judicial Committee should sit anywhere but in London.

LORD OGMORE

My Lords, may I thank the noble and learned Lord for that answer and ask him whether he is aware how much satisfaction has been given to noble Lords on these Benches by his reply? May I also ask him whether he will take steps to ensure that the Privy Council make visits to other capitals in the Commonwealth, as I am sure that this will form a very strong bond between the various parts of the Commonwealth? Finally, I would congratulate the noble and learned Lord and his predecessor on bringing into being what I am sure is a most important reform.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for his observations with regard to the changes that have now been made. With regard to the question of the Privy Council's going abroad, that is a different and wider question and I would rather see first how these new changes function in London.