The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) is independent of government and has a statutory duty to select candidates for judicial appointment solely on merit; select only people of good character and have regard to the need to encourage diversity in the range of persons available for judicial selection. The JAC keeps its selection processes under continual review to ensure they are transparent, fair, and attract talented candidates from a wide range of backgrounds. In 2022-2023, across all legal JAC exercises, 51% of those recommended for appointment were women and 16% were ethnic minorities, contributing to a more diverse judiciary.<\/p>
The Ministry of Justice, as a member of the Judicial Diversity Forum (JDF), works closely with the judiciary, the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), the Legal Services Board (LSB) and the three largest legal professions on actions to improve judicial diversity. The Forum\u2019s 2024 action plan (https://judicialappointments.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Judicial-Diversity-Forum-Priorities-and-Actions-for-2024.pdf<\/a>) which was published in January, sets out our shared priorities.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4941", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bellamy"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bellamy"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-30T13:42:51.167Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Judiciary: Public Appointments"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the report by the University of Manchester Racial Bias and the Bench: A response to the Judicial Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (2020-2025), published in November 2022, what support they will give to recommendations to overhaul judicial appointment processes to deliver a more diverse judiciary and embed equalities within the judiciary.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4540", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Gloucester"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "The Lord Bishop of Gloucester"}
], "uin" : "HL3880"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1388605", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1388605/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Ministry of Justice\u2019s review of barriers to certain legal professionals, including CILEX lawyers applying to a wider range of judicial offices, is ongoing.<\/p> <\/p> In the Judicial Diversity Forum\u2019s (JDF) update to its plan and priorities for 2021/22, published on 20 December 2021 (https://judicialappointments.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/JDF-2022-action-plan.pdf<\/a>), the MoJ committed to review, by July 2022, the process and barriers to appointment to Judicial Office for all parts of the legal profession to ensure we broaden the pool of talent by:<\/p> <\/p> The Government is considering what improvements can be made to the settlement left by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. Our constitution is always evolving, and it is entirely proper, sixteen years on from the Act, to examine that settlement in the round and to take stock of subsequent debate and of continuing interest in both Houses.<\/p> <\/p> The Lord Chancellor has said that he places great importance on taking an open and consultative approach to any proposals for reform, and the Government will make its plans known in due course.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4901", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Wolfson of Tredegar"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Wolfson of Tredegar"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-07-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL2210"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-07-29T11:09:14.79Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Judiciary: Public Appointments"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Ministry of Justice's review of the Constitutional Reform Act is considering giving ministers greater influence over senior judicial appointments.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/337", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Garnier"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Garnier"}
], "uin" : "HL2209"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1293697", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1293697/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Consultation with the judiciary in relation to judicial recruitment is provided for in statute.<\/p> The independent Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) has the responsibility to run selection exercises and make recommendations to judicial posts up to and including the High Court. The JAC has a statutory duty to only select people for judicial appointment only on merit and who are of good character, in line with section 63 of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005.<\/p>