§ Lord Rawlinson of Ewellasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are satisfied that there are enough Lords Justices of Appeal adequately to staff the Court of Appeal.
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone)As my noble and learned friend will know, the maximum number of ordinary judges of the Court of Appeal was increased by Order in Council to 18 in 1978 and again in November 1983 to 23. In addition to the Lord Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls there are at present 21 in post, but these numbers are augmented from time to time by assistance from the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, retired Lords of Appeal, retired Lords Justices, and puisne judges. At the end of the current law sittings I shall be reviewing the position in order to assess the impact of the recent changes.