Clause 1 - Transfer to Lord Chancellor of functions relating to Judicial Appointments Commission
Justice (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]
9:45 am
Mr David Trimble (Upper Bann, UUP)
The reason why I originally sought to intervene was the Minister's reference to the criminal justice review. It might be helpful if the Committee reflects on what it said about the commission. Paragraph 6.102 of the review states:
''We believe that in Northern Ireland an appointments commission would enhance public confidence. But the factor which, above all, sways us in favour of recommending such a body is the imperative that if political responsibility for judicial appointments is to be devolved, the appointments process must be transparent and responsive to society's needs on the one hand, but on the other that it must be clearly seen to be insulated from political influence.''
The factor that ''above all'' swayed them in favour of recommending that body was devolution. The Minister is close to misleading the Committee, because bringing that system into operation in advance of devolution is a significant change to the review.