To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many of the staff seconded from his Department to the Judicial Appointments Commission are of (a) senior leadership, (b) policy and (c) administrative support grades; whether staff who have been seconded to the Judicial Appointments Commission from his Department have maintained the same line management relationships with their existing managers; whether staff who have been seconded to the Judicial Appointments Commission from his Department may receive performance-related bonuses; what assessment he has made of the performance of the Judicial Appointments Commission; and if he will make a statement. (147977)

The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) has a complement of 94 staff of which 17 members are temporary contractors on short-term contracts and 77 were secondees from the Civil Service. 70 are seconded from the Ministry of Justice (of these, 40 previously worked from the Lord Chancellor in this area, and 30 have not previously worked in this area); the remaining seven are seconded from other Government departments. In response to a request from the Constitutional Affairs Committee, information about staff seconded to the Judicial Appointments Commission is currently being collated and will be provided by the Chief Executive of the Commission to the Committee on 16 July.

I will place a copy in the Libraries of the House and send a copy to my right hon. Friend. This should answer all sections of this question but if not I should of course be happy to provide my right hon. Friend with as much additional information as is available.

I also refer my right hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement I made to this House on 4 July 2007, Official Report, column 48WS announcing the publication of the Commission's first annual report.