§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what procedures are followed by his Department to monitor the competence of judges; and under what circumstances the Lord Chancellor would initiate the process required for dismissal of a judge.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe Lord Chancellor attaches the highest importance to the constitutional principle of judicial independence. He has established no procedures for monitoring the competence of the full-time judiciary. Recourse from a judicial decision properly lies through the normal appeal process. Judges, however, exercise their functions, for the most part, in public. The Lord Chancellor considers with great care any complaints made to him about the conduct of a judge. Under the existing legislation governing the tenure of the judiciary, Supreme Court judges hold office during good behaviour, subject only to a power of removal by the Crown on an address presented by both Houses of Parliament; the Lord Chancellor may if he thinks fit remove a circuit judge from394W office on the grounds of incapacity or misbehaviour. The Lord Chancellor considers each complaint fully on its merits. He will consider the removal of a judge from office only if and when he is satisfied that the relevant statutory criteria have been fully met and that such a course is in the public interest.