HC Deb 11 December 1989 vol 163 cc455-7W
Mr. Sedgemore

To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many black judges he estimates there will be in the year 2000; and what percentage of the total this will be;

(2) what percentage and number of county court judges are black;

(3) what percentage and number of judges who sit full time in the Crown court are black;

(4) what percentage and number of judges who sit in the Court of Appeal and Court of Criminal Appeal are black;

(5) what percentage and number of judges who sit in the Divisional Court are black;

(6) what percentage and number of judges who sit in the High Court are black;

(7) what percentage and number of those who sit in the House of Lords in its capacity as an apellate court are black;

(8) what percentage and number of recorders are black.

The Attorney-General

Records are not kept of the ethnic origin of members of the judiciary or of candidates for judicial appointment but our understanding of the present position is as follows.

There are no black Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, Lord Justices of Appeal or High Court judges. There are 422 circuit judges of whom one is black (0.2 per cent.). There are 703 recorders of whom five are black (0.7 per cent.). It is impossible to produce a meaningful estimate of the number of individuals from ethnic minorities who will hold judicial office in the year 2000. Every effort however is being made to encourage black lawyers in the appropriate age groups to put themselves forward for judicial office, and it is the Lord Chancellor's hope that by 2000 there will be many more black judges.

Mr. Sedgemore

To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many female judges he estimates there will be in the year 2000; and what percentage of the total this will be;

(2) what percentage and number of county court judges are female;

(3) what percentage and number of judges who sit full-time in the Crown courts are female;

(4) what percentage and number of judges who sit in the Divisional Court are female;

(5) what percentage and number of recorders are female;

(6) what percentage and number of those who sit in the House of Lords in its capacity as an appellate court are female;

(7) what percentage and numbers of judges who sit in the Court of Appeal and Court of Criminal Appeal are female;

(8) what percentage and number of judges who sit in the High Court are female.

The Attorney-General

The following figures are correct. as at 1 December 1989.

There are 10 Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, of whom none is female.

There are 27 Lords Justices of Appeal, of whom one is female (3.7 per cent).

There are 81 High Court judges, of whom one is female (1.2 per cent).

There are 422 circuit judges, of whom 17 are female (4 per cent).

There are 703 recorders, of whom 25 are female (3.6 per cent).

It is impossible to produce a meaningful estimate of the number of female judges there will be in the year 2000.

Mr. Sedgemore

To ask the Attorney-General (1) what steps he is taking to increase the number of female judges; (2) what steps he is taking to increase the numbers of black judges.

The Attorney-General

Candidates for judicial appointment are considered on their merits, regardless of sex or ethnic origin. The Lord Chancellor has, however, made it clear on a number of occasions that he would very much like to appoint more women and members of ethnic minorities to judicial office, and has urged groups representing women lawyers and lawyers from ethnic minorities to encourage those of their members in the appropriate age groups to put themselves forward as candidates for appointment.