Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Judge in the trial at Preston Crown Court in relation to Simon Blevins, Richard Roberts and Richard Loizou sought advice from (a) his Department and (b) the Attorney General on the requirements of the Judicial Code of Conduct in relation to family connections.

It would not be appropriate for me or any other government minister to comment on cases which are, or have been, before the courts. Anyone who wishes to make a complaint of judicial misconduct may do so to the independent Judicial Conduct Investigations Office. The Guide to Judicial Conduct, which sets out the standards of conduct expected of judges, is publicly available at: https://www.judiciary.uk/publications/guide-to-judicial-conduct/