What is the role of the Lord Chancellor in relation to the Judiciary? Lords to ask Liz Truss
The House of Lords Constitution Committee will this week hold its annual evidence session with the Lord Chancellor, Liz Truss MP and question her on the Lord Chancellor's role in relation to the judiciary and the rule of law.
The Committee will ask Ms Truss about her role representing the views of the judiciary in Government, and on whether she believes that, as Lord Chancellor, she has a particular responsibility to uphold the rule of law that goes beyond that of other Ministers.
Other issues the Committee will question the Lord Chancellor on include her role in the appointment of judges and the difficulties that the Judicial Appointments Commission has experienced in filling judicial vacancies – and in particular recruiting more female and black and minority ethnic (BAME) judges. The Committee will also ask whether the Government have now given up on plans for a British Bill of Rights in the current Parliament.
The Committee will then hear from Lord Kakkar and Lord Justice Ian Burnett of the Judicial Appointments Commission on the impact of judicial salaries on the ability to recruit judges; how far attempts to encourage solicitors to apply for judicial positions have proved effective; and why there is a gap between the percentage of candidates who apply for judicial positions who are from a BAME background (16%) and those who are recommended for appointment (9%).
The evidence sessions will start at 10:30am on Wednesday 1 March in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords. The full details are:
10:30am Rt Hon. Elizabeth Truss MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
11:30am Rt Hon. Professor Lord Kakkar, Chairman, Judicial Appointments Commission
Lord Justice Burnett, Vice-Chairman, Judicial Appointments Commission
