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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Judges' Interests
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce a register of pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests for judges. [66951]
Mr. Hoon: There are no plans for the introduction of a general register of either pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests for judges. However, in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Mr. Cohen) on 18 January 1999, Official Report, column 325, I referred to the steps already taken by the Lord Chancellor to ensure the proper disclosure of interests in any individual case by Members of the House of Lords in its judicial capacity.
Notaries
Mr. Mullin:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has for abolishing the monopoly of notaries in London by the Worshipful Company of Scriveners; and if he will make a statement. [66977]
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Mr. Hoon:
The Department has obtained the views of interested parties on this issue. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is currently considering whether the monopoly should be abolished. He hopes to be able to announce his conclusion shortly.
Mr. Rammell:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department which measures of local deprivation his Department and its agencies use in considering allocation of funds to local projects. [66721]
Mr. Hoon:
Thirteen Regional Legal Services Committees (RLSCs) have been established to advise the Legal Aid Board on the nature and extent of need for legal services throughout England and Wales and how need should be prioritised. Each RLSC is developing a Regional Strategy which identifies local need for legal services and makes recommendations for supply in relation to that need. The assessment of need is based on census data, the Index of Local Deprivation, the number of Income Support claimants, Housing Benefit claimants and Disability Living Allowance claimants.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce post-appointment appraisals for Queen's Counsel. [66949]
Mr. Hoon:
My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has no plans to introduce post- appointment appraisals for Queen's Counsel.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) High Court judges and (b) Circuit judges appointed in each of the last five years had previously been Queen's Counsel. [66950]
Mr. Hoon:
Of those judges appointed in the last five years, 37 High Court Judges and 30 Circuit Judges had previously been Queen's Counsel. The breakdown is as follows:
| High Court | Circuit Bench | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 6 | 3 |
| 1995 | 12 | 3 |
| 1996 | 7 | 7 |
| 1997 | 6 | 10 |
| 1998 | 6 | 7 |
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department for each of the last five years, what was (a) the highest figure and (b) the average figure given as the gross fee income by applicants to be made Queen's Counsel who were (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful. [66957]
Mr. Hoon: This information can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the cost of the consultation procedure for the appointment of Queen's Counsel for each of the last five years; and what the total
25 Jan 1999 : Column: 52
cost was of the staff employed in work related to the appointment of Queen's Counsel for each of the last five years. [66972]
Mr. Hoon:
I list the departmental expenditure, excluding overheads, apportionable for considering applications for Queen's Counsel in each of the previous five financial years. I also list the costs incurred, excluding overheads, in relation to the appointment of Queen's Counsel for each of the previous five financial years. These are recovered by means of a fee charged for the grant of Queen's Counsel.
| Year | Departmental costs | Appointment costs |
|---|---|---|
| 1993-94 | 62,575 | 10,780 |
| 1994-95 | 69,824 | 9,940 |
| 1995-96 | 82,130 | 9,900 |
| 1996-97 | 80,168 | 10,200 |
| 1997-98 | 65,264 | 9,000 |
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will state, for each of the last five years (a) the average number and (b) the highest number of unsuccessful previous applications made by applicants to be made Queen's Counsel. [66971]
Mr. Hoon: The average of unsuccessful previous applications made by applicants for Queen's Counsel in 1998 was 2.5. The highest number of unsuccessful previous applications by an applicant for Queen's Counsel in 1998 was 25. In respect of earlier years the information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to make the system of appointment of Queen's Counsel more transparent. [66975]
Mr. Hoon: My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has recently made the system more transparent. This year he is consulting more of the legal community than before about the suitability of candidates. Applications for silk are invited in a notice published in the national press. The policies, procedures and criteria that he applies to these appointments are published each year in a guide for applicants. The Guide for Applicants can be found on the Lord Chancellor's Department's website. The Lord Chancellor continually reviews the system with a view to making it even more transparent.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what plans he has to recover (a) the cost of the Queen's Counsel consultation procedure and (b) the related departmental staff costs from applicants; [66973]
- (2) what plans he has (a) to introduce an application fee for appointment to Queen's Counsel, (b) to review the £150 fee paid by successful applicants only and (c) to introduce an annual Queen's Counsel renewal fee. [66974]
Mr. Hoon:
My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has no current plans to recover the departmental expenditure apportionable to the procedure for considering applications for Queen's Counsel by means of an application fee. He will, however, continue to review the situation. The £150 fee paid by successful applicants is currently under review. My noble
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and learned Friend has no plans to introduce an annual Queen's Counsel renewal fee. The award of Queen's Counsel is by letters patent and is not subject to annual renewal.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department for each of the last five years, what was (a) the total number of applications to
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be made Queen's Counsel, (b) the number of successful applicants and (c) of (a) and (b), how many were (i) women, (ii) from ethnic minorities, (iii) below the age of 38, (iv) over the age of 50 and (v) solicitors. [66952]
Mr. Hoon:
The information is as follows:
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| 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number of applicants | 539 | 492 | 488 | 500 | 511 |
| Number of successful applicants | 77 | 71 | 66 | 68 | 60 |
| Number of female applicants | 43 | 42 | 40 | 41 | 46 |
| Number of successful female applicants | 9 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| Number of applicants from an ethnic minority background | 11 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 18 |
| Number of successful ethnic minority background applicants | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Number of solicitor applicants | -- | -- | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Number of successful solicitor applicants | -- | -- | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Number of applicants under 38 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 |
| Number of successful applicants under 38 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 0 |
| Number of applicants over 50 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 95 |
| Number of successful applicants over 50 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 |
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Solicitors, provided they met the eligibility criteria, have been able to apply since 1996.
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