Clause 2 - Membership of the Commission
Justice (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]
10:00 am
Mr John Spellar (Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office; Warley, Labour)
As the hon. Member for Beaconsfield said, the amendment would increase the number of judicial members and decrease the number of lay members of the new Judicial Appointments Commission. However, he then commented on the balance between lay members and those with a legal background. The commission will have two members from the legal profession: a barrister nominated by the General Council of the Bar and a solicitor nominated by the Law Society. Moreover, the Lord Chief Justice is the chairman of the commission.