New clause 1 - Removal or suspension from
Justice (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]
4:00 pm
Mr John Spellar (Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office; Warley, Labour)
We have reflected on that, and I am advancing some reasons why our further consideration has led to the belief that I have outlined. We have extensive mechanisms in place to deal with the highly unusual circumstance of a judge being removed. We then move to the other almost inconceivable situation of a Lord Chief Justice vetoing the decision of a tribunal that he played a considerable role in setting up—indeed, a committee of which he or one of the very senior judges has been part. We anticipate that the circumstances in which such tribunals are needed will seldom arise. A judge may be removed only if a tribunal has reported recommending that he be removed on the grounds of misbehaviour or inability to perform the functions of the office.