Written question asked by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton (Conservative) on Thursday, 14 March 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 10 April 2002. It was answered by Lord Wills (Labour) on Wednesday, 10 April 2002 on behalf of the Lord Chancellor's Department.

Lord Chancellors Dept

Question: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, in what circumstances he is able to exercise his power to investigate the personal conduct of members of the judiciary.

Answer: Mr. Cameron: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in what circumstances he is able to exercise his power to investigate the personal conduct of members of the judiciary. [44424] Mr. Wills: As Head of the Judiciary the Lord Chancellor is able to consider and investigate complaints about the personal conduct of individual judges and other judicial office holders. It is not open to the Lord Chancellor to comment on, or to intervene in relation to, complaints received about decisions made by a judge or any steps in the process of reasoning underlying his or her decision, or other matters involving the exercise of judicial functions. The criteria for investigating complaints about personal conduct of members of the judiciary are set down in procedures drawn up in 1998. The system for investigating complaints has developed over the last four years and the procedures are now being revised to take these developments into account. Details will be made available to the public once the revised procedures have been finalised.

Secondary information