§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consultations he carried out before deciding not to proceed with the establishment of a judicial appointments commission. [31580]
§ Mr. HoonLast summer, officials in the Lord Chancellor's department consulted informally with various groups and individuals about the issues relating to the possible creation of a judicial appointments commission. Following this consultation and in view of the other substantial priorities facing the Department, the Lord Chancellor decided that it was right to concentrate on making the changes which he considered most urgent in the existing judicial appointments system to improve its openness, flexibility and effectiveness. The Lord Chancellor therefore announced in October that he had decided not to proceed further with work on a possible commission. Among the measures that the Lord Chancellor has already taken to improve the judicial appointments system are: introducing advertising for High Court appointments; increasing the upper age limit for appointment as lay magistrate so as to achieve a better social and political balance on the bench; opening the magistracy to blind candidates on an experimental basis; and involving lay people in the shortlisting of judicial candidates for interview. Other measures announced in October are in the process of implementation.