Department for Constitutional Affairs - Constitutional Reform

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Constitutional Reform - Introduction

The legal and judicial system in England and Wales is recognised across the world for its judicial excellence and integrity. However, to retain this status the constitution and judiciary have to respond to the needs of the modern world.

Main effects of the Act
Shift in roles and responsibilities
Changes starting in April 2006

Main effects of the Act

The Constitutional Reform Act has been introduced to make sure that there is:

greater transparency in judicial appointments
diversity among the judiciary
judicial independence, and
a clear definition of the roles of the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice.

Shift in roles and responsibilities

The Act provides for a major shift in the roles and responsibilities of the Lord Chancellor (the executive) and the Lord Chief Justice (as the new head of the judiciary in England and Wales). The Act also sets up new structures to support the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice in their new roles.

Changes starting in April 2006

As from 3 April 2006 there is:

a new role for the Lord Chancellor
a new role for the Lord Chief Justice
a newly-created independent Judicial Appointments Commission for England and Wales
a Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman, and
an Office for Judicial Complaints.

A Supreme Court for the United Kingdom will be set up in October 2009.