I am pleased to present this, the fifth Judicial Appointments Annual Report covering appointments and developments during 2002-2003. This was a period presided over by my predecessor, Lord Irvine, who played a large part in opening up the judicial appointments procedures and embracing greater diversity into the system.
This was a year of considerable activity and change. Some 697 appointments were made from 3,449 applications. Major improvements have been introduced including a very successful pilot Assessment Centre for Deputy District Judge and Deputy Queen's Bench Master competitions, a consultation exercise regarding appointment to the Circuit Bench and Recorder, an appreciable increase in tribunal members to support the continued growth in Tribunals' work, and, for the lay magistracy, significant developments in the national strategy for the recruitment of Justices of the Peace. In fact, every level of judicial office for which I am responsible has been subject to change or scrutiny during 2002-2003.
Change has not been confined to the individual judicial posts and their processes for appointment. In June 2003, as part of the Government's drive to modernise the constitution and the legal system, the Prime Minister announced far-reaching reforms, including the creation of a new Department for Constitutional Affairs, which incorporates most of the responsibilities of the former Lord Chancellor's Department. And, on 14 July, I published three consultation papers as the first stage of taking forward these reforms. They covered the form and responsibilities of a new Judicial Appointments Commission, proposals for establishing a new Supreme Court, and the future of the Queen's Counsel system.
Since the Government came to power in 1997 we have made significant improvements to the judicial appointments system, many of which are highlighted in this report. The system is now more open and transparent than it has ever been. We are committed not only to opening up the system of appointments to a wider range of suitably qualified candidates from different social backgrounds and a wider range of legal practice, but also to actively promoting participation. The fundamental principle in appointing judges must continue to be selection on merit. To achieve this, we must embrace best practice in recruitment and selection procedures. But confidence, transparency and a belief in their freedom from political interference and bias are also critical. It is for these reasons that I have announced our intention to establish an independent Judicial Appointments Commission to recommend candidates for appointment to judicial office.
Attracting candidates from a diverse cross-section of the legal profession and other backgrounds reflecting the diverse nature of our society is fundamental in boosting public confidence in the justice system. This year the appointment of candidates from minority ethnic groups to judicial office, including lay appointments, rose to 8.9% from 7.8% last year. The percentage of women appointed to judicial office, including lay appointments, stood at 31%, down 3% when compared with last year's figures. These figures must be viewed in the context of the pool of appointable lawyers. The proportion of women lawyers, and lawyers from minority ethnic backgrounds, appointed remains higher than the respective proportions eligible to apply. Encouraging though these comparisons are, we will renew our efforts in the current year to move towards a fairer representation of society as a whole.
I am concerned too with making a judicial career an attractive option by keeping under continual review the conditions of service and the opportunities to progress for the serving members of the judiciary. This report gives details of improvements that have been introduced in these important areas.
The Department's staff have been through a period of immense change in the past few years. They have worked with energy and imagination to develop and implement new ideas, and I thank them for another successful year. I echo wholeheartedly my predecessor's comments about the importance of promoting change to improve the justice services we provide to the community. The future reforms I have announced are of real and lasting importance. We will all need to be ready to ensure that they are implemented in a way which commends the widest possible support, enhancing the independence and quality of the judiciary and public confidence in them. I look forward to making this happen.
Lord Falconer of Thoroton
Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor October
2003