§ Mr. CameronTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) how many acting members of the judiciary have been, the subject of complaints for their work as solicitors in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement; [44606]
(2) what powers he has to investigate the conduct of members of the judiciary when they are practising as solicitors. [44425]
§ Mr. WillsAs Head of the Judiciary, the Lord Chancellor investigates complaints about the personal conduct of both full-time and part-time judicial office holders. He does not, however, investigate complaints against solicitors who are part-time Judges when the complaints relate to their work as solicitors, as this is a matter for the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors and ultimately for the Law Society. The Lord Chancellor has no disciplinary powers in relation to solicitors. If a solicitor who is a part-time judicial office holder is subject to such a complaint, he or she is required to inform the Lord Chancellor's Department of the outcome. The Department is aware of four such complaints in the past 12 months.