Lord Irvine of Lairg: My Lords, I will make a few remarks in support of the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, my noble friend Lord Beecham and the noble and learned Lord, Lord Woolf. In their consultation paper, which preceded the proposed changes, the Government acknowledged: “Judicial review is a critical check on the power of the State, providing an effective mechanism for challenging the decisions, acts or omissions...
Lord Irvine of Lairg: My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, on having secured this timely debate. I will confine myself to the impact of the Lord Chancellor’s legal aid proposals on judicial review. The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 provides in Part 1 that the Act will not adversely affect, “the existing constitutional principle of the rule of law, or … the Lord Chancellor's...
Lord Irvine of Lairg: While acknowledging the Minister's own commitment to the Human Rights Act, are there not at least double standards at work, or worse hypocrisy, when the Prime Minister and other members of the Cabinet preach the virtues of human rights and respect for the rule of law abroad while trashing these self-same virtues at home?
Lord Irvine of Lairg: My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have participated in this debate, and thank many of them for their kind words. Meanwhile, I beg leave to withdraw the Motion. Motion withdrawn.
Lord Irvine of Lairg: My Lords, I believe the advice that I gave to the House at the time of the passage of this Bill was correct, but I am not going to be drawn into a commentary on subsequent decisions.
Lord Irvine of Lairg: My Lords, my purpose is to dispel some of the many myths peddled about human rights. In fact it is the Conservative Party, not Labour, that can make the strongest claim to credit for the European convention. Its main proponents were Churchill, Macmillan and John Foster, with some Liberal and Labour support. Its principal author was David Maxwell Fyfe, the future Conservative Chancellor,...
Lord Irvine of Lairg: My Lords, I have not spoken for some time, and so to ensure that my contribution is not too great a shock to your Lordships' systems, I shall be brief. I read the White Paper with gathering dismay because it recommended a hybrid, 50:50, part-appointed, part-elected House—neither fish nor fowl. Such a House, with two different classes of Members, is fundamentally wrong since all Members...
Lord Irvine of Lairg: On 8 June 2003 I made an order under Section 2(6) of the Taxes Management Act 1970 amalgamating a number of divisions in Lancashire, Bedfordshire, Clwyd and Essex. From 1 July 2003, the Blackburn and Burnley Divisions shall be merged into a new division to be called the East Lancashire Division. From 1 January 2004 the Divisions of Bedford; Biggleswade; Flitt and Manshead shall be merged...
Lord Irvine of Lairg: I am today announcing a package of measures, which will help achieve better value for money in the legal aid system while ensuring that help continues to go to those who need it most. A consultation paper has been published today on the Criminal Defence Service (CDS), Delivering Value for Money in the Criminal Defence Service, which sets out a range of proposals to ensure that CDS expenditure...
Lord Irvine of Lairg: My Lords, before public business begins, I take the opportunity to inform the House that I shall be undertaking a ministerial visit to Manchester on Wednesday, 11th June, when the House will sit. Accordingly, I trust that the House will grant me leave of absence.
Lord Irvine of Lairg: Each case is considered by the Official Solicitor individually, but in general the Official Solicitor will write in the first language of the recipient of correspondence. However, in order to contain translation costs (whether payable from public or private funds) the Official Solicitor may respond in English where it appears the authority or lawyer concerned is fluent in English or has ready...
Lord Irvine of Lairg: My Lords, I have to notify the House, in accordance with the Royal Assent Act 1967, that the Queen has signified her Royal Assent to the following Act: Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections and Periods of Suspension) Act.
Lord Irvine of Lairg: My Lords, before business begins, I take this opportunity to inform the House that I will be undertaking a ministerial visit to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia from Monday 19th to Thursday 22nd May, when the House will sit. Accordingly, I trust that the House will grant me leave of absence.
Lord Irvine of Lairg: My Lords, before business begins, I take the opportunity to inform the House that I will be undertaking a ministerial speaking engagement in Stratford-upon-Avon on Friday, 9th May, when the House will sit. Accordingly, I trust that the House will grant me leave of absence.
Lord Irvine of Lairg: My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. Moved, That the amendments for the Report stage be marshalled and considered in the following order: Clauses 1 to 6, Schedule 1, Clauses 7 to 31, Schedule 2, Clauses 32 to 40, Schedule 3, Clauses 41 to 60, Schedule 4, Clauses 61 to 91, Schedule 5, Clauses 92 to 99, Schedules 6 and 7, Clauses 100 to 102.—(The Lord...
Lord Irvine of Lairg: On appointment a High Court judge is expected to acquire robes for summer and winter use and also robes for ceremonial use. A High Court judge is entitled to an allowance of £13,954 towards the cost. I intend to publish on 8 May a public consultation paper on court working dress worn by judges, advocates and court staff. I wish to determine the views of the general public on these matters,...
Lord Irvine of Lairg: The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) has published its corporate plan for 2003 to 2006. The plan set out CAFCASS's key performance targets that I have set for CAFCASS in 2003–04. These targets are set out below: In public law no less than 80 per cent of cases should be allocated within 7 days. In private law cases at least 95 per cent of requests in the month...
Lord Irvine of Lairg: The Government have no current plans to do so.
Lord Irvine of Lairg: Her Majesty the Queen appoints Queen's Counsel in Northern Ireland on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor. lynne
Lord Irvine of Lairg: The rights of audience of barristers and advocates from the other member states of the European Union who wish to appear in the courts of Northern Ireland are governed by various European Directives. These include Council Directive 1977/249/EEC of 22 March 1977, to facilitate the effective exercise by lawyers of freedom to provide services; Council Directive 1989/48/EEC of 21 December 1988,...
