To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many Queen’s Counsel have been appointed to the Bar in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997; what the community background was of the appointees; and whether there were any declared family relationships between members of the appointing panel and any of the appointees. (80064)

Queen’s Counsel have been appointed in Northern Ireland since 1997 as follows:

Prior to the 2006 Silk round the community background on appointees was not recorded.

Of the 16 Queen’s Counsel appointed this year, seven are Protestant, six are Roman Catholic, and three did not indicate their community background.

During the recent selection process one member of the panel absented himself from the panel’s deliberations in respect of one applicant who was his daughter-in-law.