§ Baroness Howells of St Davidsasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Lord Chancellor has completed the review of the guidance which is given to judges on outside activities and interests. [HL2885]
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg)Yes. I am placing in the Libraries of both Houses the revised guidance which will be used in future. I am satisfied that the substance of the existing guidance, which is of long standing, remains basically sound. It is necessarily of a general kind, for application in individual circumstances. I am satisfied that it strikes an appropriate balance in discouraging activities or interests which may be seen to undermine judicial impartiality, or conflict with judicial office, without being unduly restrictive. I have at the same time made a number of detailed changes in the text and added a statement of general principles. I will wish to keep the new guidance under review in the light of experience. The general guidance on outside activities and interests is separate from any question of conflict of interest arising in individual cases on which the Court of Appeal recently gave further authoritative guidance in its judgment in the case ofLockbail (UK) Ltd v Bayfield Properties Ltd.