§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce compulsory retirement for judges(a)at age 65 and (b) at age 70 years. [16256]
Mr. John M. TaylorThe Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993, which is coming into force today, establishes a compulsory retirement age of 70 for those first appointed to full-time judicial office on or after that date, subject to provision for the service of office-holders below the level of the High Court to be extended, up to an age limit of 75, for periods not exceeding one year at a time, where the Lord Chancellor considers it in the public interest to do so. He expects to exercise this power sparingly. There are no plans to reduce the compulsory retirement age for judges to 65.