Queen's Counsel

Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 13 February 1998, Official Report, column 400, how many High Court judges had their applications for silk rejected at their (a) fourth and (b) more than fourth attempts. [31215]

Mr. Hoon
Of the 97 High Court Judges at present in post, none had their applications for silk rejected at their fourth and future attempts.

Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 13 February 1998, Official Report, column 400, concerning the number of unsuccessful applications for silk made by an individual before taking silk; what assessment he has made of the (a) advantages and (b) disadvantages of placing a limit on the number of applications which can be made. [31082]

Mr. Hoon
My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor considers that the balance of advantage is against placing a limit on the number of applications which can be made for silk. Practitioners should be able to retain the right to apply for silk as often as they wish.

Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average number of applications for silk before an appointment is made. [31092]

Mr. Hoon
The average number of applications for silk made by those who were successful in the 1997 silk round was 2.57.

Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 12 February 1998, Official Report, column 300, regarding consultations on the suitability of applicants for silk, if he will list those consultees who are not members of the judiciary. [31184]

Mr. Hoon
I have listed those consultees who are not members of the judiciary.

Consulted at Meetings Circuit Leaders South Eastern: M. Lawson QC The Leader of the South Eastern Circuit consults the Chairmen of the Bar Messes on the South Eastern Circuit: D. Spens QC D. Day QC D. Stokes QC R. Camden-Pratt QC J. Baughan QC N. Sweeney H. Green QC G. Khayat QC A. Patience QC R. Amlot QC Midland & Oxford: J. Hunt QC Northern: R. Henriques QC North Eastern: M. Swift QC Western: N. Pascoe QC Wales and Chester: J. Griffith Williams QC Officers of the Bar Council Chairman and Vice-Chairman: R. Owen QC and H. Hallett QC Consulted in writing EC and International Law Legal Adviser, FCO: Sir Franklin Berman KMG QC Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the EC: F. G. Jacobs QC EC Law Silks: N. Forwood QC Specialist Bar Association Chairmen Chairman, Administrative Law Bar Association: M. Supperstone QC Chairman, Chancery Bar Association: N. Patten QC Chairman, Commercial Bar Association: J. Jarvis QC Chairman and Vice-Chairman, London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association: P. Gross QC and C. MacKay QC Chairman, Criminal Bar Association: R. Amlot QC Chairman, Employment Law Bar Association: R. Allen QC Chairman, Family Law Bar Association: D. Bodey QC

Chairman, Local Government and Planning & Environmental Law Bar Association: M. Spence QC Chairman, Official Referees Bar Association: D. Friedman QC Leader, Parliamentary Bar Mess: M. Fitzgerald QC Chairman, Personal Injury Bar Association: M. de Navarro QC Chairman, Professional Negligence Bar Association: R. de Wilde QC Chairman, Revenue Bar Association: G. Aaronson QC Other senior practitioners Intellectual Property: S. Thorley QC Landlord & Tenant: K. Lewison QC Solicitor to the Inland Revenue: B. E. Cleave Environmental: V. Pugh QC and P. Vallance QC Immigration: N. Blake QC Defamation: R. Hartley QC Restrictive Practices and Monopolies: J. Lever QC Employment & Industrial Relations: J. McMullen QC Admiralty: R. F. Stone QC Bar Race Relations Committee: P. Scriven QC Solicitors The Law Society Council Members of the Law Society Law Society Equal Opportunities Committee Specialist Solicitors Associations Association of Patent Solicitors Association of Personal Injury Lawyers Association of Pension Lawyers Commerce & Industry Group Criminal Law Solicitors Association Educational Law Association Employment Lawyers Association Housing Law Practitioners Association Immigration Law Practitioners Association Insolvency Lawyers Association Intellectual Property Lawyers Association Legal Aid Practitioners Group Local Government Group London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association London Solicitors Litigation Association Official Referees Solicitors Association Solicitors Association of Higher Court Advocates Solicitors European Group Solicitors Family Law Association.