§ Vera BairdTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2002,Official Report, column 832W, on rape, if he will place in the Library the content of the Serious Sexual Offences seminar to which he referred. [70890]
§ Yvette CooperJudicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB) which is an independent non-departmental public body. It is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.
The content of the Serious Sexual Offences seminars held on 2–3 July 2001 and 26–27 November 2001 is described in the annual report of the Judicial Studies Board for 2001–02, a copy of which is in the Library.
§ Vera BairdTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, whether the Serious Sexual Offences seminar is attended by judges(a) before and (b) after they are authorised to hear rape trials. [70679]
§ Yvette CooperJudicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), which is an independent non-departmental public body. It is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.
All Circuit Judges and Recorders are required, by the Lord Chief Justice, to attend a JSB Serious Sexual Offences seminar before they are authorised to hear rape trials. Thereafter, both Circuit Judges and Recorders authorised to hear these cases attend Serious Sexual Offences seminars every three years.
§ Vera BairdTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, who teaches the Serious Sexual Offences seminars to judges authorised to hear rape cases. [70685]
§ Yvette CooperJudicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), which is an independent non-departmental public body. It is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.
The Serious Sexual Offences seminar is chaired by a High Court Judge. The most recent seminar, 8–9 July 2002, was chaired by Mr. Justice Pitchers. The Seminar Director is Judge John Sessions.
Contributors on the most recent seminar were Professor Di Birch, Mrs. Maggie Dodds, Ms Ruth Mann, and Mr. Justice Crane. Details of previous seminars are set out in the annual reports of the Board, copies of which are in the Library.
799W
§ Vera BairdTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what steps he will take to ensure improved education for judges into the gender issues in rape trials. [70686]
§ Yvette CooperJudicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), which is an independent non-departmental public body. It is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.
The subject of education for judges in gender issues, including education for judges in rape trials, is kept under constant review by the Equal Treatment Advisory Committee of the Judicial Studies Board. Gender issues are also covered in Chapter 13 of the JSB's Equal Treatment Bench Book, a copy of which is given to every judge on appointment.
§ Vera BairdTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) by when the Judicial Studies Board will have considered the comments made on rape trials by the HMIC/CPSI Thematic report; [70683]
(2) what plans there are for the Judicial Studies Board to report back to her on its consideration of the HMIC/CPSI Thematic report; [70684]
(3) what reports she has received from the Judicial Studies Board in connection with the comments made on rape trials by the HMIC/CPSI Thematic report; [70687]
(4) to whom in her Department, and when, the Judicial Studies Board will report on its consideration of the HMIC/CPSI Thematic report. [70688]
§ Yvette CooperJudicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), which is an independent non-departmental public body. It is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.
The HMIC/CPSI Thematic report has been referred to the Criminal Committee of the JSB which will consider its response and the manner and form in which this should be communicated to the Lord Chancellor.