§ Lord Lamont of Lerwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Lord Chancellor at any time received representations from the Lord Browne-Wilkinson and other members of the Appellate Committee about Lord Hoffmann during the case of General Pinochet; and, if so, what were those representations. [HL2755]
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg)Discussions between the Lord Chancellor and the higher judiciary, including the Law Lords, are confidential unless, as a result, any matter arises upon which a statement to the public should be made. I made two such statements in this case: first, my conclusions that the circumstances giving rise to the first decision of the Appellate Committee having to be set aside did not in my judgment call into question Lord Hoffmann's continuing membership of the Appellate Committee; and, secondly, the measures to be taken to ensure that in future there could be no repetition of these circumstances.