| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Church Repairs (VAT)
Mr. Gale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what response he has received from the European Commission to his request for a reduction in VAT for repairs to churches; and if he will make a statement. [140590]
Dawn Primarolo: The Commission are currently considering our request.
Judges' Lodgings
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions the Inland Revenue has had with the Lord Chancellor's Department concerning the benefit of judges' lodgings; and if he will make a statement. [140788]
29 Nov 2000 : Column: 708W
Dawn Primarolo: The same rules governing the taxation and reporting of benefits apply to Government Departments as to other employers. Discussion about particular issues is a matter between the employer or taxpayer concerned and the Revenue.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Solicitors
Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many solicitors have been appointed as judges in each year since 1990. [140497]
Jane Kennedy: The following tables give the numbers of solicitors appointed to the main full-time and part-time judicial offices since 1990. The first table provides the figures which are readily available for appointments in the calendar years 1990 to 1996 inclusive. The second table provides the figures for appointments for the last three complete financial years. A further table gives the statistics for those judges in the same categories appointed between 1 April and 31 October 2000. Of all appointments in the main open competition in 1999-2000, 46.6 per cent. were of solicitors.
29 Nov 2000 : Column: 707W
| 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Solicitors | Total | Solicitors | Total | Solicitors | Total | Solicitors | |
| High Court Judges | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| Circuit Judges | 27 | 2 | 47 | 10 | 54 | 9 | 47 | 7 |
| Assistant Recorders | 37 | 6 | 32 | 12 | 35 | 5 | 39 | 10 |
| District Judges(51) | 6 | 5 | 27 | 24 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 38 |
| Deputy District Judges(51) | 29 | 27 | 79 | 79 | 82 | 76 | 105 | 101 |
29 Nov 2000 : Column: 707W
(50) These figures are those that are the most readily available from existing computerised records but may not be wholly comprehensive because of changes in recording procedures. The figures for the earlier years in particular may be incomplete because of appointees who had been removed from the computer database because of death, retirement etc. before the recording procedures changed.
(51) Including Family Division
29 Nov 2000 : Column: 707W
29 Nov 2000 : Column: 707W
(52) The figures for Circuit Judges and District Judges are those who were approved for appointment, although they did not take up their appointments until the following year.
(53) Appointments in the full competition completed in the year concerned (which usually spans two financial years) rather than the appointments made in that financial year which would be from part of two competitions.
(54) Including Family Division
29 Nov 2000 : Column: 709W
| Total | Solicitors | |
|---|---|---|
| High Court Judges | 11 | 1 |
| Circuit Judges(55) | 8 | 6 |
| District Judges(55),(56) | 3 | 2 |
(55) Candidates who were interviewed in the competitions in 1999-2000, were originally on the reserve list, and were subsequently appointed. The total figures for those who have taken up post since 1 April 2000 are, therefore, the figures in table 2 plus those in table 3.
(56) Including Family Division
Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if, prior to being appointed as a judge, a solicitor is required to have sat as a recorder. [140470]
Jane Kennedy: The statutory qualifications for appointment as a Circuit Judge (under s.16(3) of the Courts Act 1971 as subsequently amended) are:
- i. to have a 10 year general qualification within the meaning of s.71 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (i.e. a right of audience in the Crown Court or county court); or
- ii. to be a Recorder; or
- iii. to have held for three years one of the judicial posts specified in Schedule 2 to the 1971 Act.
Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what specific training a qualified solicitor will have to undertake prior to taking up an appointment as a judge. [140498]
29 Nov 2000 : Column: 710W
Mr. Lock: Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), an independent non-departmental public body which is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.
Solicitors may be appointed to a variety of judicial offices and the training provided by the JSB is specific to each one. It is normally a requirement for an individual to have served in a part-time judicial capacity before being appointed to a permanent judicial office. In general, anyone appointed to a part-time office must attend a four or five day induction course run by the JSB, and undertake a period of sitting-in with an experienced judge before sitting judicially for the first time. Thereafter, all full and part-time judges receive continuation training from the JSB, in each of the jurisdictions that they exercise, every three years.
Judges' Lodgings
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidance he issues to High Court judges, when completing their tax returns, in relation to the benefits in kind of judges' lodgings accommodation, entertaining and transport; and if he will make a statement. [140789]
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
People's Peers
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Council what plans the Government have to introduce a special allowance, on appointment, to people's peers to help with the cost of incidental expenses. [140336]
Mrs. Beckett: None. Those recommended for life peerages by the Appointments Commission will receive exactly the same entitlement to expenses allowances as all other life peers.