UK's Lord Chancellor Pledges Consultation On QCs

by Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London

07 April 2003

The UK's Lord Chancellor, Derry Irvine is to review his own powers of judicial appointment, according to reports.

Speaking before the Lord Chancellor's Department Parliamentary Select Committee last Wednesday, Lord Irvine announced that he will shortly begin consultation on his own powers of appointment to the judiciary, reform of the QC system, and the issue of court dress.

'I am minded to put [some] issues to the test. They will extend to the possibility of a judicial appointments committee, will extend to the appointments of Queen's Counsellors and will extend to court dress. I have no views on these subjects, but will be consulting on them soon,' he explained.

Despite calls to remove his powers of appointment, however, Lord Irvine suggested that strong persuasion would be needed for him to propose any changes to the status quo.

According to the Legal Week news service, he warned that a fully independent appointments committee could run the risk of becoming politicised, or of making appointments by referring to a quota system.

'What we must not do is go on to some fancy academic system. Our system has been brought forward over the last few years to become the best that is reasonably expectable, and people will have to decide if they want something different,' he told MPs last week.

Recommended