§ Mr. BoatengTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellors Department what plans his Department has to abolish the requirement that solicitors eligible for elevation to the High Court bench should hold additional advocacy qualifications.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe statutory requirements for appointment as a High Court judge are to have a 10-year High Court qualification within the meaning of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990—that is, a right of audience in relation to all proceedings in the High Court; or to be a circuit judge who has held that office for at least two years. The Lord Chancellor has no plans to change these requirements.
§ Mr. BoatengTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellors Department what plans his Department has to improve the procedures by which appointments are made to the judiciary; and what plans he has to publish a report on such improvements.
Mr. John M. TaylorI refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Clwyd,328W North-west (Mr. Richards) on 19 May, Official Report, column 529. The Lord Chancellor's proposals are set out in a consultation paper, copies of which have been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. BoatengTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellors Department how many Queens counsel refused the offer of appointment to(a) the High Court bench and (b) the circuit bench in (i) 1970, (ii) 1980 and (iii) in each of the last five years.
Mr. John M. TaylorInformation relating to 1970 and 1980 is not available.
The numbers of Queens counsel who have declined an offer to recommend their names to Her Majesty The Queen for immediate appointment to the High Court Bench and, on the basis of the information readily available, to the circuit bench in each of the last five years are as follows.
High Court bench Circuit bench 1989–90 — — 1990–91 — 1 1991–92 1 — 1992–93 6 — 1993–94 2 1