HC Deb 29 February 2000 vol 345 cc262-4W
Mr. McWalter

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of trials involved a change in the judge presiding in each of the last 10 years. [111990]

Jane Kennedy

This information is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Angela Smith

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what monitoring the Lord Chancellor's Department undertakes of the training of judges. [112025]

Jane Kennedy

Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), which is an non-departmental public body funded by the Lord Chancellor's Department.

Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, which defines the relationship of the JSB with the Lord Chancellor's Department, the JSB is required to draw up and publish, by 30 June each year, a report to the Lord Chancellor on its activities. Copies are placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Angela Smith

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what procedures are in place for the continuous assessment of judges. [112026]

Mr. Lock

The Lord Chancellor is not persuaded that continuous assessment of full-time judges is necessary or desirable or consistent with judicial independence.

Angela Smith

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment is made of judges' competence in interpretation of new legislation. [112027]

Mr. Lock

The Lord Chancellor only appoints judges who he is confident have the skills and experience suitable for judicial office, including the very basic ability to interpret new legislation. The Judicial Studies Board is running courses for judges on the Human Rights Act 1998 and all full-time and part-time judges are due to receive training in this Act before implementation in October 2000. Where judges err in law, the appellate courts are available to correct them.