Supreme Court: Retirement Age

Lord Pannick Excerpts

Monday 12th July 2010 Lords Chamber

Asked By

[Lord Pannick]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they propose to increase the retirement age of Supreme Court judges to 75.

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally)]

My Lords, the Government are considering the issue in consultation with the judiciary and others.

[Lord Pannick]

I am grateful to the Minister. Will he congratulate the Lord Chancellor on his 70th birthday earlier this month, and suggest to him that to require Justices of the Supreme Court to retire at that age, if they were appointed to the Bench after March 1995, is a terrible waste of judicial experience, wisdom and knowledge? It is especially unfortunate when some Supreme Court Justices are only appointed to that court in their mid to late 60s.

[Lord McNally]

My Lords, I first assure the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, that the Lord Chancellor and I share the view that reaching 70 is not the end of a contribution to public life. In fact, in this House most think that it is only beginning. The age limit of 70 was brought in by the reforms of my noble and learned friend Lord Mackay. The Lord Chancellor is examining it, and he is also consulting carefully with the judiciary.