Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Ackner (Crossbench). It was answered on Thursday, 20 October 2005.

Government and the Judiciary

Question: My Lords, is the noble and learned Lord aware of the following facts? First, in 2004, he wrote to the judges promising that the value of judges’ pension benefits would not be adversely affected by the new pensions regime established by the Finance Act 2002. Secondly, a judicial pensions Bill was announced in the Queen’s Speech. Thirdly, the Judges’ Council has worked with DCA officials to consider the draft Bill and that Bill in its present form has been accepted by the Judges’ Council as a fair solution to the problem of preserving the position of judges in post on and after 6 April 2006. Finally, that Bill has not been presented to Parliament and the Government will not say when, if ever, it will be presented. Does the noble and learned Lord accept that unless the Bill becomes law prior to 6 April 2006 a significant number of judges who remain in post after that date will suffer a reduction in their total pension package on retirement, which would sour relations between the Government and the judiciary?

Answer: My Lords, I am aware of all of those facts, but I do not accept the last proposition. May I say that the noble and learned Lord was a brilliant judge, but he was wasted as a judge? I am quite unable to understand why he did not join the Transport and General Workers’ Union as a full-time official, putting its members’ point of view with the eloquence and force that he has just shown.

Secondary information