questionText: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference oral evidence to the Justice Committee on 10 June 2026 by Professor Lynne Berry, the Government's preferred candidate for Chair at Judicial Appointments Commission for England and Wales, HC 193, whether factors other than merit are taken into consideration for judicial appointments.
answerText: The overriding principle, governed by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, is that appointment to judicial roles must be solely on merit, together with consideration of good character and the need to encourage diversity.In practice, merit is assessed throu...
heading: Judiciary: Public Appointments