Women And Ethnic Minorities Encouraged To Become UK Judges
MORE WOMEN and people from minority backgrounds will be encouraged to become judges under plans announced by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke.
The proposed changes, which have been included in the Crime and Courts Bill, have been brought forward following responses to a 12 week public consultation launched last November.
It is also follows concerns raised over the low number of ethnic minority judges compared with the over representation of black people who face the justice system.
Judge Constance Briscoe
The Bill was introduced in parliament on May 10.
Clarke revealed that new laws would be put in place to remove obstacles which can limit diversity in the judiciary. They include changing the rules to extend part-time working patterns for senior judges, intended to help balance work and family lives, and enabling ‘positive action’ for appointments – meaning that if two candidates are completely equal in their abilities, a selection can be made on the basis of improving diversity. more
