HC Deb 11 November 1999 vol 337 cc676-8W
Mr. Dismore

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will identify, for each of the last three years,(a) the 10 sets of chambers with the highest number of judicial appointments, (b) the number of appointments from those chambers broken down by reference to judicial rank and (c) the total number of judicial appointments in each year, broken down by judicial rank. [97961]

Mr. Lock

The following details have been obtained about appointments to the Circuit Bench and above. Details of appointments below Circuit Bench level would require extensive searching through individual records and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

In 1996–97 there were two appointments from the chambers of Mr. Anthony Boswood QC at Fountain Court, London (one High Court Judge and One Circuit Judge) and two each from the chambers of Mr. Guy Boney QC at 3 Pump Court, London, the chambers of Mr. Keith Armitage QC at 8 King Street, Manchester and the chambers of Mr. James Stewart QC and Mr. Robert Smith QC at Park Court Chambers Leeds (all to the Circuit Bench).

In 1997–98 there were two appointments from the chambers of Mr. David Crigman QC at 1 Fountain Court, Birmingham (one to the High Court and one to the Circuit Bench); and two each from the chambers of Mr. Bruce Blair QC at 1 Mitre Court, London and the chambers of Mr. Stephen Riordan QC at 25–27 Castle Street, Liverpool (all to the Circuit Bench).

In 1998–99 there were two appointments to the Circuit Bench from the Mr. James Townend QC at 1 King's Bench Walk, London.

No other chambers has had more than one member appointed to the Circuit Bench or above in any one of the last three years.

Annual percentage change in UK gross bilateral public expenditure on aid
% change on previous year
Region 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98
Total—all countries -1 15 -3 6 3 -9 5
Africa -13 20 -13 4 -8 1 6
Sub Saharan Africa -14 20 -13 6 -8 1 6
America -26 28 -4 16 46 -44 113
Caribbean -37 2 5 2 37 -32 171
Asia 16 5 -3 7 7 -14 -11
Europe 264 39 36 5 -7 5 -18
Pacific -33 28 -48 -14 -4 -4 -7
Non-Region Specific -4 7 13 2 -0 3 -7
Top 20 Recipients1
India 35 -15 -12 -2 55 -28 0
Guyana2 -62 -48 80 8 80 -52 1,214
Zambia -31 39 -0 18 5 -31 50
Tanzania -22 93 -48 -3 -3 81 -4
Uganda -14 25 17 15 -13 20 6
Ghana 53 -7 -37 -10 11 8 70
Mozambique -32 90 2 -28 -12 21 68
China 9 64 -4 -16 16 -2 24
Indonesia 37 -5 7 47 11 -33 4
Bangladesh 15 10 -14 2 -5 -17 -14
Montserrat -29 9 74 2 13 120 165
Russia n/a -56 76 58 -6 4 4
Kenya -23 -2 -16 -3 -4 -10 16
Pakistan -17 -6 37 73 -28 -1 -49
Malawi -40 5 -1 53 -13 26 -36
South Africa 15 24 25 8 11 29 17
States of ex-Yugoslavia n/a 6,403 40 -12 -16 11 -52
Nepal -13 -17 -3 16 5 -4 11
Philippines -19 76 9 56 -37 15 -3
Zimbabwe 42 -7 -7 -14 -43 4 -29
Belize -39 22 39 171 -62 21 -69
1 The top twenty recipients of UK gross public expenditure on aid in 1997–98 in terms of volume.
2 In 1997–98 Guyana received £85 million in debt relief

Details of the number of judicial appointments in the past three years is set out in the following table:

1996–97 1997–98 1998–99
High Court Judges 8 8 7
Circuit Judges 22 34 15
Recorders 87 37 99
Assistant Recorders 93 120 136
District Judges (including Family Division) 18 38 43
Deputy District Judges (including Family Division) 45 63 100
Stipendiary Magistrates 2 5 7
Acting Stipendiary Magistrates 0 33 66