§ Lord Tebbitasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether appointments to the Scottish judiciary by the Judicial Appointments Board have been of a higher quality than those appointed to the English and Welsh judiciary by the Lord Chancellor since 1997. [HL4288]
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)The Scottish Judicial Appointments Board began work in June 2002. The Government have made no such assessment; nor should they do so. Appointments are made on merit in each jurisdiction.
§ Lord Tebbitasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have identified a pool of potential judges of superior talent to those appointed since 1997 and who may have been unfairly overlooked. [HL4289]
§ The Lord ChancellorNo. The overriding principle is that judges are appointed on merit and that those appointed are the most able and suitable. However, it is important to be able to make appointments from the widest possible pool of applicants, and the judicial appointments process should seek to bring forward the most talented candidates for appointment from the diverse groups within our society. The creation of a Judicial Appointments Commission will provide a fresh opportunity to look at the ways in which the appointments process works.