Circuit Judges (Hansard, 30 January 2001)

HC Deb 30 January 2001 vol 362 c152W 152W

§ 33. Ms Ward
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the number of(a) women circuit judges and (b) ethnic minority circuit judges. [146214]

§ Mr. Lock
On 1 January this year there were 574 circuit judges; 44 were women, an increase of 52 per cent. since May 1997; six circuit judges were of ethnic minority origin—this figure has remained static since May 1997. The Lord Chancellor is well aware that progress needs to be made so that the judiciary better reflects the society it serves and he is working hard to achieve that. This can only happen progressively as the pool of suitable candidates grows.