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🗣️ Speeches and Debates
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My Lords, perhaps I may intervene before the noble Lord, Lord Kingsland, speaks. I have one or two random points to make in regard to jury trial and the present situation. First, it would be totally unrealistic if we did not recognise that there was a perception among the minorities that one obtained a better category of justice through trial by judge and jury than by judge alone. There is a...
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My Lords, I respectfully seek to support what the noble Lord, Lord Goodhart, has said—which is in forensic terms, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". The statute is in wholly permissive language: "A court considering a claim in negligence may", not "must". Nothing has been made mandatory in the amendment and therefore the law can be left as it is—perfectly fluid and able to progress as it...
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asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will accept the recommendation of the Civil Justice Council in its response of 17 November 2005 to the Department for Constitutional Affairs for a fundamental review of the policy to charge litigants in the civil courts the total costs of running those courts less fee exemptions and remissions.
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My Lords, it is common ground that the Civil Justice Council is there as a watchdog over the civil courts and that in the past the former Chief Justice and the Chief Justice before him have combined with the council and the Council of Judges to condemn the policy that has just been mentioned. I should make it clear that this is not a frontal attack on the noble and learned Lord the Lord...
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My Lords, no one has made reference to the fact that the provision of a civil litigation system is in the public interest, as it provides a civilised way of effectively dealing with disputes. It goes beyond the ordinary question of what the litigant gains; the public make a substantial gain. Accordingly, there should be a contribution from general taxation, and costs should not be left solely...
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My Lords, until the noble Lord, Lord Phillips of Sudbury, intervened, I thought he was a friend of mine. If he were really interested in how I obtained my sobriquet, he would have asked me that in private. I never have any secrets from the House. There is a certain sweetness about this which I hope he would naturally associate with me. On my fourth birthday, I was presented with a chocolate...
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moved Amendment No. 1: Page 2, line 31, at beginning insert "if the individual so chooses,"
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My Lords, I do not claim paternity of this short, simple and important amendment; I concede that honour to the noble Lord, Lord Bassam of Brighton. The limited function to which I am entitled to limited credit is to draw your Lordships' attention to the extent to which he is neglecting his own offspring and to invite your Lordships to give statutory protection to the infant. The amendment...
More of Lord Ackner's speeches and debates
✍️ Written Questions and Answers
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asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 20 October (Official Report, col. 878), who made the decision to recover from civil litigants the costs of court administration in 1992; after what, if any, consultation; and what documents were relied upon in making that decision.
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asked Her Majesty's Government: Which, defining each, of the Lord Chancellor's functions relative to the administration of justice and in particular criminal justice do they propose to transfer to (a) the Home Office and (b) the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
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asked Her Majesty's Government: Why, having decided to abolish or reform the office of Lord Chancellor, they did not decide to set up a Ministry of Justice.
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asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether asylum seekers and those seeking to emigrate to the United Kingdom are subject to compulsory medical examinations; and, if not, why not.
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asked Her Majesty's Government: How many civil actions were commenced in each of the years 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999: (a) in the County Court; and (b) in the High Court.
More of Lord Ackner's written questions
