§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he is taking to monitor the performance of judges. [31581]
§ Mr. HoonJudges are and must be independent of the Executive. They undertake their responsibilities and obligations in the terms of the judicial oath which they take on appointment. The Lord Chancellor considers any complaints made about the personal conduct of a judge and draws them to the attention of the judge as appropriate. The powers available to the Lord Chancellor to remove judges from office are, however, strictly limited. In considering the suitability of a judge for promotion to a higher office, the Lord Chancellor takes account of the views expressed to him by senior judges, and in considering holders of part-time judicial office as candidates for full-time appointments, he also places weight on the opinions he receives from judges and senior practitioners on the basis of the published criteria for appointment. Arrangements are in place for the observation of certain part-time judicial office-holders. For example, since Autumn 1997 newly-appointed Assistant Recorders have been the subject of some in-court observation by a full-time Circuit Judge during their first week of sitting.