Joint Working Party on Equal Opportunities in Judicial Appointments and Silk (Hansard, 22 June 1999)

§ Mr. Dismore
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the members of the Joint Working Party on Equal Opportunities in Judicial Appointments and Silk. [87801]

§ Mr. Vaz
The membership of the Joint Working Party on Judicial Appointments and Silk is currently as followsLincoln Crawford Esq. OBE (Chairman, Bar's Race Relations Committee) Mrs. Pamela Bhalla (Equal Opportunities Officer, Bar Council) Mrs. Kathryn Hamylton (Equal Opportunities Officer, Bar Council) Raj Joshi Esq. (Society of Black Lawyers) Gelaga King Esq. (African, Caribbean and Asian Lawyers' Group) Ms Margaret McCabe (Barrister—Woman Lawyer Forum founder) Oba Nsugbe Esq. (African, Caribbean and Asian Lawyers' Group) Miss Eileen Pembridge (Council of The Law Society) Miss Jacqueline Perry (Association of Women Barristers) Ms Jenny Staples (Association of Women Solicitors) Miss Sangita Unadkat (Society of Asian Lawyers) John Cavanagh Esq. (The Bar's Sex Discrimination Committee) Richard Wilson Esq. (African, Caribbean and Asian Lawyers' Group) Ms Marcia Williams (Equal Opportunities Officer, The Law Society).
The Working Party's secretariat is provided by officials of the Lord Chancellor's Department.
The representation of some of the groups has changed during the life of the Working Party.

§ Mr. Dismore
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on progress of the work of the Joint Working Party on Equal Opportunities in Judicial Appointments and Silk. [87803]

§ Mr. Vaz
The Joint Working Party on Judicial Appointments and Silk was initiated by the legal profession, not by the Lord Chancellor, and the Lord Chancellor has no direct control over its progress.
324W

§ Mr. Dismore
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects the Joint Working Party on Equal Opportunities in Judicial Appointments and Silk to report. [87805]

§ Mr. Vaz
I understand that the Joint Working Party is producing a report for submission to the Lord Chancellor. The timing of the report is a matter for the Joint Working Party itself.

§ Mr. Dismore
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he proposes to publish the report of the Joint Working Party on Equal Opportunities in Judicial Appointments and Silk. [87809]

§ Mr. Vaz
The decision as to whether or not to publish its Report would be a matter for the Joint Working Party itself, not for the Lord Chancellor.

§ Mr. Dismore
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the dates on which the Joint Working Party on Equal Opportunities in Judicial Appointments and Silk met. [87802]

§ Mr. Vaz
The Joint Working Party on Equal Opportunities in Judicial Appointments and Silk has met on the following dates:

23 July 1997

22 September 1997

20 October 1997

3 December 1997

28 January 1998

28 April 1998

9 June 1998

16 July 1998

22 September 1998

27 October 1998

17 May 1999.

§ Mr. Dismore
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for what reasons the Joint Working Party on Equal Opportunities in Judicial Appointments and Silk was set up. [87804]

§ Mr. Vaz
The Joint Working Party on Equal Opportunities in Judicial Appointments and Silk was set up at the instigation of the Bar. The Lord Chancellor agreed to officials of his Department taking part in the Working Party's deliberations and providing its secretariat.
The purposes of the Joint Working Party are to consider and propose action to increase the number of applications for judicial appointment and Silk from women and black and Asian lawyers with the appropriate seniority and relevant experience; to consider and propose possible changes to judicial appointments and Silk procedures for further consideration by the Lord Chancellor; and (where appropriate) to advise and assist in the implementation of action.