MPs Want To Quiz Falconer And Irvine Over UK Judicial Reforms

by Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London

27 June 2003

According to reports in the UK media this week, the Lord Chancellor's Department select committee has called new Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, and previous incumbent Lord Irvine to appear before it in a bid to understand the events which led to Prime Minister Tony Blair's dramatic shake-up of the UK's legal system.

Announcing the government's judicial reform plans during a Cabinet reshuffle earlier this month, the Prime Minister revealed that the 1,400 year old position of Lord Chancellor is to be abolished, and that a judicial appointments committee and an US-style Supreme Court will be created.

Lord Falconer has reportedly already agreed to appear before the select committee on July 1st. However, observers have suggested that Lord Irvine is less likely to be willing to cooperate, given his vehement opposition to the reform proposals put forward by the government.

Meanwhile, according to the Legal Week news service, the newly created Department of Constitutional Affairs is drawing up consultation papers on the creation of the Supreme Court and judicial appointments commission, set to be released in mid-July.

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