The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Kenneth Clarke)
With the agreement of the Lord Chief Justice, I will today publish the annual report of the Office for Judicial Complaints (OJC). The OJC provides support to the Lord Chief Justice and myself in our joint responsibility for the system of judicial complaints and discipline.
This report is the fifth published by the OJC, and marks the end of a year which has seen the OJC transition from an arm’s-length body, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice, to become a part of the Judicial Office, which supports the Lord Chief Justice and senior judiciary in discharging their responsibilities.
While now a part of the Judicial Office, the OJC retains both its operational and decision-making independence and continues to report to both myself and the Lord Chief Justice on matters relating to judicial conduct and discipline. I am confident that this arrangement will realise significant administrative and organisational savings while protecting the independence of the investigatory and disciplinary process.
I am pleased to note that the OJC continues to deliver an effective complaint-handling service to all of its customers, which is both transparent and efficient; processing over 1,600 complaints and 800 inquiries in the last year. None the less, it is always possible to seek further efficiencies and improvements and to that end the Lord Chief Justice and I have agreed that the OJC should conduct a thorough review of the Judicial Discipline (Prescribed Procedures) Regulations to identify any areas where the disciplinary process may be improved or streamlined. That review is ongoing and the OJC will be consulting key stakeholders and inviting submissions from interested parties before providing both the Lord Chief Justice and myself with recommendations in 2012.
Copies of the report are available in the Libraries of both Houses, the Vote Office and the Printed Paper Office. Copies of the report are also available on the internet at http://www.judicialcomplaints.gov.uk/publications/publications.htm.