Mr. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the terms of the Juries Act 1984 dealing with the ineligibility for jury service of certain persons convicted of criminal offences are implemented; and what checks are made to seek to ensure that ineligible people do not sit on juries.
§ Mr. MellorThe provisions disqualifying persons with previous convictions from jury service are explained to potential jurors in the jury summons and they are required to declare any disqualification. In addition, an oral explanation is normally given by a court official to those summoned and a person who thinks he may be disqualified is given the opportunity of consulting the official. Thereafter, enforcement of the criminal law is a matter for the chief officer of police concerned. The annex to Home Office Circular 81/1980, a copy of which is in the Library, contains recommendations by the Association of Chief Police Officers on when a check of names of potential jurors should be made against criminal records. One of the criteria is that there is reason to believe that attempts are being made to circumvent the statutory provisions excluding disqualified persons from service on a jury, including any case when there is reason to believe that a particular juror may be disqualified.