Oral Answers to Questions

John Pugh Excerpts

Tuesday 6th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Huntingdon is a splendid part of the world that deserves to be represented effectively by the hon. Gentleman, whom I have known for a quarter of a century, but it is a long way from Bury, to which this question exclusively relates. [Interruption.] Order. The question is about Bury, I say to the young fellow. He can come in later—we look forward to hearing from him.

[John Pugh (Southport) (LD)]

8. What information her Department holds on the level of social mobility and social diversity within the legal professions.

[The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Elizabeth Truss)]

That information is published by the legal professions. For example, 13% of QCs are women, and 6% declare themselves as coming from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background.

[John Pugh]

Available data show very limited progress, particularly with only 13% of QCs and only a third of the people practising at the Bar being women. What can the Government do to improve that and rattle up the profession a bit?

[Elizabeth Truss]

We want a justice system that works for everyone and a legal services industry that uses all the talent in our country. I have already had very positive conversations with the Lord Chief Justice, who is keen to improve diversity figures in the judiciary, and I am due to meet the Bar Council shortly to talk specifically about the Bar.