Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Lord Sumption following his comments reported in The Times on 2 February that he would be willing to preside over a National Security Law case in Hong Kong.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar - Shadow Attorney General
Her Majesty’s Government has not had any discussions with Lord Sumption following his comments being reported in The Times on 2 February.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what sum was spent on airfares for UK judges sitting on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal in (1) 2017, (2) 2018, (3) 2019, and (4) 2020.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar - Shadow Attorney General
Serving justices of the UK Supreme Court receive a salary and do not receive any additional fees when sitting on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal pays a fee to the UK Supreme Court. The table below provides details from 2017-2020:
Calendar Year | Fee paid to the UK Supreme Court |
2017 | £11,935.08 |
2018 | £28,990.57 |
2019 | £31,913.70 |
2020 | £0 – no UKSC justices sat in 2020 |
Airfares for UK Supreme Court justices who sit on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal are booked by and paid for by the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. As such, the UK Supreme Court holds no information about the costs. We do not have information about fees or travel expenses for retired UK judges who sit on the Court.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what sum the UK Supreme Court received from the government of Hong Kong in fees for UK judges sitting on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal in (1) 2017, (2) 2018, (3) 2019, and (4) 2020.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar - Shadow Attorney General
Serving justices of the UK Supreme Court receive a salary and do not receive any additional fees when sitting on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal pays a fee to the UK Supreme Court. The table below provides details from 2017-2020:
Calendar Year | Fee paid to the UK Supreme Court |
2017 | £11,935.08 |
2018 | £28,990.57 |
2019 | £31,913.70 |
2020 | £0 – no UKSC justices sat in 2020 |
Airfares for UK Supreme Court justices who sit on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal are booked by and paid for by the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. As such, the UK Supreme Court holds no information about the costs. We do not have information about fees or travel expenses for retired UK judges who sit on the Court.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to institute a further review into the independence of the Hong Kong judiciary, and (2) to assess the viability of UK judges continuing to serve on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar - Shadow Attorney General
The National Security Law poses real questions for the rule of law in Hong Kong and the protection of rights and freedoms promised by China in the Joint Declaration. The UK Government remains committed to supporting the principles of the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law in Hong Kong. That is why the government and the serving UK judges who sit on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal continue to assess the situation closely.
In line with our most recent assessment, the agreement under which the UK judges have served in Hong Kong since 1997 continues to have our full support.