Clause 4 - Appointment to most senior judicial offices
Justice (Northern Ireland) Bill
4:30 pm
Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate, Conservative)
I hope that this time I shall not be misled. So far as the Lord Chief Justice and Lord Justices of Appeal are concerned, the appointments are made by Her Majesty on the advice of the Prime Minister, who is under a duty to consult in the Bill. Although Her Majesty appoints judges of the High Court, the hon. Member for North Down will note that clause 5(2) states:
''Only a person selected by the Commission may be appointed, or recommended for appointment, to a listed judicial office''.
A High Court judge is a listed judicial office. If the Committee accepts Government amendment No. 70, it means that when the Deputy First Minister and First Minister cannot agree and so do not respond to the process initiated by the commission, the appointment will go ahead in the absence of any advice from them.
That deals with the amendment tabled by the hon. Lady, so I regret to say that I am unable to support her. So far as amendments Nos. 10, 11 and 12 are concerned, I have listened to the Minister and the hon. Member for Newry and Armagh, and am still of the mind that new section 12(4) and (5) is unnecessary. However, I do not intend to press the amendment now, so I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Clause 4 ordered to stand part of the Bill.