HL Deb 12 April 2000 vol 612 cc41-2WA
Lord Dubs

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Lord Chancellor has completed his review of the terms of service of part-time judicial office-holders in England and Wales following the judgment of the High Court of Justiciary in Scotland in the Starrs case. [HL2002]

The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg)

The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, and the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland and I have agreed new arrangements for part-time judicial appointments for which I am responsible. We accord the highest value to the maintenance of judicial independence for all judges, full-time and part-time, and the arrangements have been fashioned by us for that purpose.

I am placing in the Libraries of both Houses two joint statements signed by me and by the Lord Chief Justices setting out these changes far the following appointments in ordinary Courts in England and Wales:

  • Recorders,
  • Deputy District Judges,
  • Acting Stipendiary Magistrates,
  • Deputy Masters or Registrars of the Supreme Court,
  • Deputy High Court Judges,
  • Deputy Circuit Judges,
  • Retired Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, Lords
  • Justices and High Court Judges;
and the following appointments in Northern Ireland:
  • Deputy Resident Magistrate,
  • Deputy County Court Judge,
  • Deputy District Judge,
    • WA 42
  • Retired Law Lords, Lord Justices and High Court Judges.

I have also decided that no useful purpose is served by retaining the separate offices of Assistant Recorder and Recorder and I will, accordingly, be recommending to Her Majesty that all serving Assistant Recorders should be appointed Recorders. In future, appointments will be made direct to Recordership through an openly advertised selection procedure.

I am also placing in the Libraries of both Houses, joint statements signed by me and by the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales covering the following fixed-term appointments to Tribunals:

  • Part-time Immigration Adjudicators
  • Part-time members of the Immigration Appeal Tribunal
  • Part-time members of the Income and Corporation Taxes Tribunal
  • Part-time members of the Lands Tribunal
  • Part-time members of the Pensions Appeal Tribunals
  • Deputy Social Security and Child Support Commissioners
  • Part-time Special Commissioners of Income Tax
  • Part-time members of the Appeals Service (social security)
  • Part-time Chairmen of the VAT arid Duties Tribunal

The Secretary of State for Social Security and the Chancellor of the Exchequer have placed similar statements in the Libraries covering the following appointments for which they are ministerially responsible:

Secretary of State for Social Security

  • Pensions Ombudsman
  • Members of the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority

Chancellor of the Exchequer

  • Members of the VAT and Duties Tribunal
  • These changes will come into effect immediately.

At a later stage, there will be a further announcement about the detailed aspects of these tribunal arrangements as they will operate in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales following consultation with the devolved administrations.