HC Deb 24 July 2002 vol 389 cc1280-8W
Vera Baird

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will set up a Thematic inquiry into the way rape trials are dealt with by the judiciary; and if she will make a statement. [65209]

Yvette Cooper

The Lord Chancellor has no proposal to set up a Thematic inquiry into the way rape trials are dealt with by the judiciary. The conduct of a rape trial is a matter for the judge in the exercise of his or her judicial discretion.

To assist those who have to give evidence the Government will be introducing special measures for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses in the Crown court from today. These will be subject to judicial discretion but they will, for example, allow witnesses to give evidence over a live television link from outside the courtroom.

Vera Baird

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what procedure there is for removing the authorisation to judges to hear rape trials; and to whom the procedure is available; [70680]

(2) what authorisation is necessary before a court of appeal judge may hear rape appeals; [70681]

(3) who decides whether a judge ought to be authorised to hear rape trials; and how the decision is taken; [70689]

(4) whether there is outside inspection of judges' conduct before they are authorised to hear rape trials; [70690]

(5) if she will list the judges in the Court of Appeal who were authorised to hear rape trials when they were judges of first instance; [70818]

(6) if she will list the judges in the (a) High Court and (b) Crown Court who are authorised to hear rape trials. [70827]

Yvette Cooper

My noble and learned Friend, the Lord Chancellor, is concerned that only those Judges with the appropriate experience and sensitivity hear rape cases.

Section 75 of the Supreme Court Act 1981 states that the Lord Chief Justice, with the concurrence of the Lord Chancellor, can, by means of a practice direction, determine the cases or classes of cases suitable for allocation to High Court Judges, Circuit Judges and Recorders. From time to time successive Lord Chief Justices have issued such practice directions. In October 2001 the current Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, issued a practice direction which, again, determined that all High Court Judges and those Circuit Judges and Recorders, approved for that purpose by the Senior Presiding Judge, with the concurrence of the Lord Chief Justice can hear rape cases.

In practice, primarily those High Court Judges assigned to the Queen's Bench Division hear rape cases. Authorisations of Circuit Judges and Recorders are sought by the Presiding Judge of each Circuit in consultation with the Resident Judge of the relevant Crown court. The Senior Presiding Judge then makes the decision on the basis that the Judge is suitable to try sensitive cases.

Those Judges selected for authorisation have to attend a Judicial Studies Board seminar on serious sexual offences before they are formally authorised. They also have to attend further seminars from time-to-time. The names of Circuit Judges currently authorised to hear rape cases are listed.

There is no "outside inspection" of a Judges' conduct prior to authorisation. If he thinks it appropriate, the Lord Chief Justice can remove an authorisation.

All 35 Judges of the Court of Appeal were formerly Justices of the High Court and could hear rape cases when they held that office. All Judges of the Court of Appeal can hear rape appeals without any further authorisation.

Midland circuit

  • His Honour Judge Alexander QC
  • His Honour Judge Appleby QC
  • His Honour Judge Dudley Bennett
  • His Honour Judge Richard Benson
  • His Honour Judge Brunning
  • Her Honour Judge Butler QC
  • His Honour Judge Cavell
  • His Honour Judge Chapman
  • His Honour Judge Paul Clark
  • His Honour Judge Marten Coates
  • His Honour Judge Richard Cole DL
  • His Honour Judge Corrie
  • His Honour Judge Eades
  • His Honour Judge Eccles QC
  • His Honour Judge Trevor Faber
  • Her Honour Judge Elizabeth Fisher
  • His Honour Judge Fletcher
  • His Honour Judge Geddes
  • His Honour Judge Griffith-Jones
  • His Honour Judge Julian Hall
  • His Honour Judge Simon Hammond
  • His Honour Judge Charles Harris QC
  • His Honour Judge Heath
  • Her Honour Judge Hindley QC
  • His Honour Judge Christopher Hodson
  • His Honour Judge Inglis
  • His Honour Judge Richard Jenkins
  • His Honour Judge Macduff QC
  • His Honour Judge Marshall
  • His Honour Judge Matthews
  • His Honour Judge Mayor QC
  • His Honour Judge McCarthy
  • His Honour Judge McCreath
  • His Honour Judge David McEvoy QC
  • His Honour Judge Metcalf
  • His Honour Judge Morrell
  • His Honour Judge Morris
  • His Honour Judge Mott
  • His Honour Judge Oliver-Jones QC
    • 1282W
  • His Honour Judge Orme
  • His Honour Judge Orrell
  • His Honour Judge Perrett QC
  • His Honour Judge Pollard
  • His Honour Judge Pugsley
  • His Honour Judge Pyke
  • His Honour Judge Rubery
  • His Honour Judge Shand
  • His Honour Judge Stanley
  • His Honour Judge Michael Stokes QC
  • His Honour Judge Stretton
  • His Honour Judge Styler
  • His Honour Judge Alan Taylor
  • His Honour Judge Teare
  • His Honour Judge Tonking
  • His Honour Judge Wait
  • His Honour Judge Richard Wakerley QC
  • His Honour Judge Warner
  • His Honour Judge Wide QC

North eastern circuit

  • His Honour Judge Adams
  • His Honour Judge Armstrong
  • His Honour Judge Barber
  • His Honour Judge Barr-Young
  • His Honour Judge Bartfield
  • His Honour Judge Bentley QC
  • Her Honour Judge Bolton
  • His Honour Judge Bowers
  • His Honour Judge Briggs
  • His Honour Judge Bryant
  • His Honour Judge Bullimore
  • His Honour Judge Bush
  • Her Honour Judge Annabel Carr QC
  • His Honour Judge Carr
  • His Honour Judge Cartlidge
  • His Honour Judge Charlesworth
  • His Honour Judge Cockroft
  • His Honour Judge Crabtree
  • His Honour Judge Cracknell
  • Her Honour Judge Davies
  • His Honour Judge Dobkin
  • His Honour Judge Faulks QC
  • His Honour Judge Fox QC
  • His Honour Judge Goldsack
  • His Honour Judge Grant
  • His Honour Judge Grenfell
  • His Honour Judge Gullick
  • His Honour Judge Hawkesworth QC
  • His Honour Judge Heppel QC
  • His Honour Judge Hewitt
  • His Honour Judge Hodson
  • His Honour Judge Hoffman
  • His Honour Judge Norman Jones QC
    • 1283W
  • His Honour Judge Kamil
  • His Honour Judge Keen QC
  • His Honour Judge Langan QC
  • His Honour Judge Lawler QC
  • His Honour Judge Lowden
  • His Honour Judge McCallum
  • His Honour Judge Mettyear
  • His Honour Judge Milford QC
  • His Honour Judge Murphy QC
  • His Honour Judge Reddihough
  • His Honour Judge Robertshaw
  • His Honour Judge Scott
  • His Honour Judge Spencer QC
  • His Honour Judge Shaun Spencer QC
  • His Honour Judge Spittle
  • His Honour Judge Stewart QC
  • Her Honour Judge Sutcliffe
  • His Honour Judge Michael Taylor
  • His Honour Judge Robert Taylor
  • His Honour Judge Walford
  • His Honour Judge Walton
  • His Honour Judge Whitburn QC
  • His Honour Judge Wolstenholme
  • His Honour Judge Wood

Northern circuit

  • His Honour Judge Appleton
  • His Honour Judge Atherton
  • Her Honour Judge Badley
  • His Honour Judge Stuart Baker
  • His Honour Judge Raymond Bennett
  • His Honour Judge Blake
  • His Honour Judge Boulton
  • His Honour Judge Mark Brown
  • His Honour Judge Robert Brown
  • His Honour Judge Burke QC
  • His Honour Judge Ian Campbell
  • His Honour Judge David Clarke QC
  • His Honour Judge Denis Clark
  • His Honour Judge Clifton
  • His Honour Judge Crompton
  • His Honour Judge Sir Rhys Davies QC
  • His Honour Judge Duckworth
  • His Honour Judge Duncan
  • His Honour Judge Ensor
  • His Honour Judge Fawcus
  • His Honour Judge Fish
  • His Honour Judge Geake
  • His Honour Judge George
  • His Honour Judge Gilmour QC
    • 1284W
  • His Honour Judge Hammond
  • His Honour Judge Henshell
  • His Honour Judge Holloway
  • His Honour Judge Humphries
  • Her Honour Judge Kusher QC
  • His Honour Judge Lakin
  • His Honour Judge Lewis
  • His Honour Judge Lynch
  • His Honour Judge Lyon
  • His Honour Judge Maddison
  • His Honour Judge Mahon
  • His Honour Judge Morgan
  • His Honour Judge William Morris
  • His Honour Judge Mort
  • His Honour Judge Openshaw QC
  • His Honour Judge Phillips
  • His Honour Judge Phipps
  • His Honour Judge Roberts
  • Her Honour Judge Ruaux
  • His Honour Judge Singer
  • His Honour Judge Slinger
  • His Honour Judge Adrian Smith
  • His Honour Judge Peter Smith
  • Her Honour Judge Elizabeth Steel
  • His Honour Judge Steiger QC
  • His Honour Judge Swift
  • Her Honour Judge Watson
  • His Honour Judge Woodward

South eastern circuit

  • His Honour Judge Addison
  • His Honour Judge Ader
  • His Honour Judge Ansell
  • His Honour Judge Anthony
  • Her Honour Judge Anwyl QC
  • His Honour Judge Findlay Baker QC
  • His Honour Judge Balston
  • His Honour Judge Barham
  • His Honour Judge Barker QC
  • His Honour Judge Christopher Barnett QC
  • His Honour Judge Bassingthwaighte
  • His Honour Judge Bathurst-Norman
  • His Honour Judge Beaumont QC
  • His Honour Judge Beddard
  • His Honour Judge Binning
  • His Honour Judge Black
  • His Honour Judge Blacksell QC
  • His Honour Judge Boal QC
  • His Honour Judge Brown
  • His Honour Judge Bull QC DL
    • 1285W
  • His Honour Judge Byers
  • His Honour Judge Campbell
  • His Honour Judge Carroll
  • His Honour Judge Clegg
  • His Honour Judge Coleman
  • His Honour Judge Colgan
  • His Honour Judge Collins
  • His Honour Judge Colston QC
  • His Honour Judge Coltart
  • His Honour Judge Jeremy Connor
  • His Honour Judge Roger Connor
  • His Honour Judge Coombe
  • His Honour Judge Copley
  • His Honour Judge Crocker
  • His Honour Judge Crawford QC
  • His Honour Judge Croft QC
  • His Honour Judge Curl
  • His Honour Judge De Mille
  • His Honour Judge Devaux
  • His Honour Judge Downes
  • His Honour Judge Dunn QC
  • His Honour Judge Ellis
  • His Honour Judge Elwen
  • His Honour Judge Fabyan Evans
  • His Honour Judge Fingret
  • His Honour Judge Focke QC
  • His Honour Judge Forrester
  • His Honour Judge Freedman
  • His Honour Judge Gerber
  • Her Honour Judge Goddard QC
  • His Honour Judge Goldstein
  • His Honour Judge Gordon
  • His Honour Judge Gosschalk
  • His Honour Judge Goymer
  • His Honour Judge Hardy
  • His Honour Judge Charles Harris QC
  • His Honour Judge Michael Harris
  • Her Honour Judge Hamilton QC
  • His Honour Judge Hawkesworth
  • His Honour Judge Hawkins QC
  • His Honour Judge Jonathan Haworth
  • His Honour Judge Richard Haworth
  • His Honour Judge Hayward
  • His Honour Judge Hitching
  • His Honour Judge Holt
  • His Honour Judge Hordern QC
  • His Honour Judge Hucker
  • His Honour Judge Hyam
  • His Honour Judge Inman
  • His Honour Judge Issard-Davies
  • His Honour Judge Jacobs
  • His Honour Judge Joseph
  • His Honour Judge Katkhuda
  • His Honour Judge Kemp
  • His Honour Judge Anthony King
  • His Honour Judge Lait
  • His Honour Judge Langdon
  • His Honour Judge Laurie
  • His Honour Judge Lawrence
    • 1286W
  • His Honour Judge Lindsay QC
  • His Honour Judge Lockhart
  • His Honour Judge Lyons
  • His Honour Judge MacRae
  • His Honour Judge Maher
  • His Honour Judge Martineau
  • His Honour Judge McDowall
  • His Honour Judge Rodney McKinnon
  • His Honour Judge Warwick McKinnon
  • His Honour Judge Medawar QC
  • His Honour Judge Meier
  • His Honour Judge Mellor
  • His Honour Judge Mercer
  • His Honour Judge Fergus Mitchell
  • Her Honour Judge Agelica Mitchell
  • His Honour Judge Moss
  • Her Honour Judge Mowat
  • His Honour Judge Nash
  • His Honour Judge Norris OBE
  • His Honour Judge Paget QC
  • His Honour Judge Patience QC
  • Her Honour Judge Pearlman
  • His Honour Judge Pearson
  • His Honour Judge Philpot
  • His Honour Judge Pitman
  • His Honour Judge Pollock
  • His Honour Judge Pontius
  • His Honour Judge Pratt
  • His Honour Judge Radford
  • His Honour Judge Rant QC
  • His Honour Judge Reid QC
  • His Honour Judge Rivlin QC
  • His Honour Judge Robbins
  • His Honour Judge Roberts
  • His Honour Judge Jeremy Roberts QC
  • His Honour Judge Samuels QC
  • His Honour Judge Sanders
  • His Honour Judge Scott-Gall
  • His Honour Judge Sessions
  • His Honour Judge Simpson
  • His Honour Judge Simon Smith
  • His Honour Judge Colin Smith QC
  • Her Honour Judge Zoe Smith
  • His Honour Judge Spence
  • His Honour Judge Stephens QC
  • His Honour Judge Stokes QC
  • His Honour Judge Thomas
  • His Honour Judge Thorpe
  • His Honour Judge Thompson
  • His Honour Judge Tilling
  • His Honour Judge Tyrer
  • His Honour Judge van der Werff
  • His Honour Judge Wadsworth QC
  • His Honour Judge Walker
  • His Honour Judge Waller
  • His Honour Judge Webb
  • His Honour Judge Welchman
  • His Honour Judge Wilkie QC
  • His Honour Judge Wilkinson
  • His Honour Judge Winstanley
    • 1287W
  • His Honour Judge Yelton
  • His Honour Judge Zucker QC

Wales and Chester circuit

  • His Honour Judge Burr
  • His Honour Judge Clarke
  • His Honour Judge Curran
  • His Honour Judge Daniel DL
  • His Honour Judge Diehl QC
  • His Honour Judge Denyer QC
  • His Honour Judge Dutton
  • His Honour Judge Elgan Edwards DL
  • His Honour Judge Gaskell
  • His Honour Judge David Hale
  • His Honour Judge Robert Hughes
  • His Honour Judge Merfyn Hughes QC
  • His Honour Judge Graham Jones
  • His Honour Judge Llewellyn Jones QC
  • His Honour Judge Wynn Morgan
  • His Honour Judge David Morris
  • His Honour Judge Christopher Morton
  • His Honour Judge Gerald Price QC
  • Her Honour Judge Eleri Rees
  • His Honour Judge Philip Richards
  • His Honour Judge Rogers QC
  • His Honour Judge Griffith Williams QC

Western circuit

  • His Honour Judge Beashel
  • His Honour Judge Boothman
  • His Honour Judge Brodrick
  • His Honour Judge Burford QC
  • His Honour Judge Bursell QC
  • His Honour Judge Cottle
  • His Honour Judge Crowther QC
  • His Honour Judge Cutler
  • His Honour Judge Darlow
  • His Honour Judge Darwall Smith
  • His Honour Judge David Smith QC
  • His Honour Judge Foley
  • His Honour Judge Gilbert QC
  • His Honour Judge Griffiths
  • His Honour Judge Griggs
  • Her Honour Judge Hagen
  • His Honour Judge Hooton
  • His Honour Judge Hughes QC
  • His Honour Judge Hutton
  • His Honour Judge Jarvis
  • His Honour Judge Jones
  • His Honour Judge Leigh QC
  • His Honour Judge Longbotham
  • His Honour Judge MacKean
  • His Honour Judge MacLaren Webster QC
    • 1288W
  • His Honour Judge McKintosh
  • His Honour Judge McNaught
  • His Honour Judge Meston QC
  • His Honour Judge O'Malley DL
  • His Honour Judge Overend
  • His Honour Judge Price
  • His Honour Judge Pryor QC
  • His Honour Judge Roach
  • His Honour Judge Rucker
  • His Honour Judge Selwood
  • His Honour Judge Shawcross
  • His Honour Judge Taylor
  • His Honour Judge Thompson QC
  • His Honour Judge Ticehurst
  • His Honour Judge Wiggs.