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Judge makes plea for fewer laws | Judge makes plea for fewer laws |
(about 3 hours later) | |
The most senior judge in England and Wales has criticised the government for passing too many crime laws. | The most senior judge in England and Wales has criticised the government for passing too many crime laws. |
Sir Igor Judge made a plea for less legislation in a speech at the Lord Mayor of London's dinner for judges. | Sir Igor Judge made a plea for less legislation in a speech at the Lord Mayor of London's dinner for judges. |
He said in 2003 six major statutes were passed, including the Anti-Social Behaviour Act, The Extradition Act, The Sexual Offences Act and the Courts Act. | He said in 2003 six major statutes were passed, including the Anti-Social Behaviour Act, The Extradition Act, The Sexual Offences Act and the Courts Act. |
The Ministry of Justice said the laws had made a "significant contribution" to crime reduction. | |
Sir Igor also criticised the government for making "major constitutional changes" without consulting judges. | |
He said in 2003, Parliament also passed "the great Daddy of them all", the Criminal Justice Act which had 1,169 paragraphs. | He said in 2003, Parliament also passed "the great Daddy of them all", the Criminal Justice Act which had 1,169 paragraphs. |
"My ... request is one which has been frequently addressed, but so far without success. Can we possibly have less legislation, particularly in the field of criminal justice," he said. | "My ... request is one which has been frequently addressed, but so far without success. Can we possibly have less legislation, particularly in the field of criminal justice," he said. |
Constitutional changes | Constitutional changes |
He added: "My Lord Mayor, in a rough and ready calculation, it seems to me that if every line of recent criminal justice legislation had been guaranteed by a payment to the Bank of England of £10,000 a line, the credit crisis would have been funded." | He added: "My Lord Mayor, in a rough and ready calculation, it seems to me that if every line of recent criminal justice legislation had been guaranteed by a payment to the Bank of England of £10,000 a line, the credit crisis would have been funded." |
Constitutional changes, which removed the Lord Chancellor as head of the judiciary, were made "without so much as the courtesy of a letter or even a telephone call to the Lord Chief Justice," he said. | Constitutional changes, which removed the Lord Chancellor as head of the judiciary, were made "without so much as the courtesy of a letter or even a telephone call to the Lord Chief Justice," he said. |
And the decision to split the Home Office and create the Ministry of Justice in 2007 was announced by a minister "in an article in a Sunday newspaper," he complained. | And the decision to split the Home Office and create the Ministry of Justice in 2007 was announced by a minister "in an article in a Sunday newspaper," he complained. |
Sir Igor also voiced concern that plans to clean up parliament could lead to "conflict" between the judiciary and Parliament. | Sir Igor also voiced concern that plans to clean up parliament could lead to "conflict" between the judiciary and Parliament. |
Provisions contained within the Parliamentary Standards Bill make some of the internal workings of Parliament subject to judicial review. | Provisions contained within the Parliamentary Standards Bill make some of the internal workings of Parliament subject to judicial review. |
He said: "I remain concerned at the possibility of any kind of judicial review of any aspect of the governance of Parliament. | He said: "I remain concerned at the possibility of any kind of judicial review of any aspect of the governance of Parliament. |
"This would have the potential to bring the judiciary into conflict with Parliament, and in particular the House of Commons. | "This would have the potential to bring the judiciary into conflict with Parliament, and in particular the House of Commons. |
"This would be an unpalatable clash, and dangerous for our constitutional arrangements, and the understandings which enable them to work." | "This would be an unpalatable clash, and dangerous for our constitutional arrangements, and the understandings which enable them to work." |
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "The legislative measures have been introduced to meet the public's concerns, and also to make good deficiencies in the law which had not been dealt with in the decades before. | |
"They have made a significant contribution, along with far better policing and firmer sentencing, to the 40% decrease in crime over the past decade. | |
"Many of the new offences are technical offences, designed to fill a gap in the law, and many others replace old offences without significantly changing the overall scope of the law." |
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