HL Deb 11 January 1999 vol 596 cc11-2WA
Lord Lamont of Lerwick

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in the light of the ruling of the Appeal Committee on 17 December on the case of General Pinochet, they will introduce guidelines for the declaration of interests by judges. [HL403]

The Lord Chancellor

There are at present no plans to introduce a requirement of declaration of interests by judges. However, in relation to the House of Lords in its judicial capacity, I have for the future requested the senior Law Lord, or the senior Law Lord in the chair, to ensure that at the time when any Committee is being composed, its proposed members will consider together whether any of their number might appear to be subject to a conflict of interest; and, in order to ensure the impartiality, and the appearance of impartiality of the Committee, to require any Law Lord to disclose any such circumstances to the parties and not sit if any party objects and the Committee so determines.