Courts Act 2003

70 Criminal Procedure Rule Committee

(1) The Criminal Procedure Rule Committee is to consist of—

(a) the Lord Chief Justice, and

(b) the persons currently appointed by the Lord Chancellor under subsection (2).

(2) The Lord Chancellor must appoint—

(a) a person nominated by the Secretary of State,

(b) three persons each of whom is either a puisne judge of the High Court or an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal,

(c) two Circuit judges with particular experience of sitting in criminal courts,

(d) one District Judge (Magistrates' Courts),

(e) one lay justice,

(f) one justices' clerk,

(g) the Director of Public Prosecutions or a person nominated by the Director,

(h) two persons who have a Supreme Court qualification and who have particular experience of practice in criminal courts,

(i) two persons who—

(i) have been granted by an authorised body, under Part 2 of the 1990 Act, the right to conduct litigation in relation to all proceedings in the Supreme Court, and

(ii) have particular experience of practice in criminal courts,

(j) one person who appears to represent the Association of Chief Police Officers, and

(k) two persons who appear to represent voluntary organisations with a direct interest in the work of criminal courts.

(3) Before appointing a person under subsection (2)(b) to (f), the Lord Chancellor must consult the Lord Chief Justice.

(4) The Criminal Procedure Rule Committee is to be chaired by the Lord Chief Justice; and one of the judges appointed under subsection (2)(b) is to be his deputy.

(5) The Lord Chancellor may reimburse—

(a) the travelling and out-of-pocket expenses of the members of the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee, and

(b) authorised travelling and out-of-pocket expenses of persons invited to participate in the work of the Committee.

(6) “The 1990 Act” means the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41).