Committees

Nominations open for the Justice Committee Chair

4 September 2024

MPs have begun the process of electing a Chair of the Justice Committee in the new Parliament.

The Speaker announced the timetable for the elections on July 30. The period of nominations will run until 4pm on Monday 9 September, with the ballot scheduled for Wednesday 11 September.

The new Chair will be elected from the Labour party under the allocation of committee chairs to political parties which was agreed by the House on 30 July 2024.  

Since 2010, most committee chairs have been elected by the whole House, by a system of alternative vote and by secret ballot. To be valid, nominations must contain a signed statement made by the candidate declaring their willingness to stand.

It must be accompanied by the signatures of 15 MPs elected to the Commons as members of the same political party as the candidate (or 10 per cent of the MPs elected to the House as members of that party, whichever is the lower). More than 15 signatures can be collected but only the first 15 valid signatures are printed. Members may only nominate one candidate per select committee.

Nominations may be accompanied by the signatures of up to five MPs elected to the House as members of any party other than to which the chair is allocated or of no party. Similarly, only five such signatures are printed.

Candidates must declare any relevant interests with their nomination. Valid nominations received each day are published with the next day's Order Paper and will be listed below.

Nominations

Candidate: Andy Slaughter

Supporters (own party): Catherine Atkinson, Dame Meg Hillier, Emily Thornberry, Sarah Champion, Mr Clive Betts, Ben Coleman, Matt Turmaine, Cat Smith, Sarah Owen, Debbie Abrahams, Clive Efford, Karl Turner, Florence Eshalomi, Dawn Butler, Matt Rodda

Supporters (other parties or no party): Sir Bernard Jenkin, Sir Jeremy Wright, Layla Moran, Munira Wilson, Charlie Dewhirst

Relevant interests declared: Non-practising barrister

Supporting statement:

Biography

I have been a lawyer for over 30 years. I have 19 years’ service as an MP and for 11 of those years held a variety of justice-related posts. 

  • For six years I was a Shadow Justice Minister, covering the whole brief from courts and legal aid to prisons and probation
  • After 2015 I was Opposition lead on justice in the House of Commons with responsibility for human rights 
  • From 2021 to 2023 I was Shadow Solicitor General
  • For three years I was a member of the Justice Select Committee (JSC)
  • I also served on the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR)

I co-chaired the APPG on Legal and Constitutional Affairs and am the current co-chair of the Access to Justice APPG.  I was a member of the Westminster Commission on Legal Aid.

As a barrister I practised in criminal and civil law. I am a patron of Hammersmith & Fulham Law Centre and served on its management committee for over 20 years, and patron also of a charity for ex-offenders.

I have shown a willingness to work with all Members to reform and improve the performance of the justice system and would continue this as chair of JSC.

My Priorities

The justice system has been neglected as a public service under successive governments.

Crisis is a much-used word in government at present, but few doubt we have a prisons crisis, a courts crisis and very depleted representation and advice services.

The route out of this is going to be incremental and requires a variety of initiatives and actors. While building new prisons we need to address the appalling state of some of the existing estate – not just physical conditions but a lack of opportunity for rehabilitation. We must support probation services, examine sentencing policy and tackle the remand backlog.

There are too few courts, judges, lawyers and the system is inefficient. Advice deserts exist across parts of the country.  There is a lack of early advice and representation which excludes many from access to justice in civil and family cases as well as crime. The delays in cases coming to court arbitrarily punish victims, witnesses and defendants.

The role of the Justice Select Committee should be to test the solutions put forward, to identify the flaws and missteps along the way so these can be corrected and to cross-examine the policy makers and managers of the system.

Alongside the major functions of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s Office, there are unresolved matters that the Committee should consider, including IPP sentences, miscarriages of justice and the role of the CCRC, the coronial service, prosecution of serious fraud and SLAPPS.

There is no shortage of work, a greater urgency than for many decades and an absolute need to improve confidence in the legal system. That is going to require a team effort, experience, and a real focus on the fundamentals of fairness, efficiency, and the rule of law. 

Candidate: Mike Tapp

Supporters (own party): Helena Dollimore, Josh Simons, Lucy Rigby, Tony Vaughan, Naushabah Khan, Michael Payne, Dr Marie Tidball, Uma Kumaran, Andrew Lewin, Claire Hazelgrove, Mr Bayo Alaba, Imogen Walker, Alistair Strathern, Kanishka Narayan, Andrew Pakes

Supporters (other parties or no party): David Davis

Relevant interests declared: None

Supporting statement:

Thank you for taking the time to read my statement.

I am asking for your vote to elect me as Chair of the Justice Select Committee. My work at the National Crime Agency, and in a counter-terrorism role, has provided me with extensive, real-world experience across our judicial system.

I have seen how the system functions from the inside. I am familiar with the challenges of intelligence collection without entrapment, the balance of proportionate and necessary intrusion, and the importance of evidential investigations that can withstand judicial scrutiny.

I have gathered intelligence and then worked to ensure it meets evidential standards. I have submitted files to the Crown Prosecution Service and collaborated closely with them on complex, national security-related cases to maximise the chances of successful prosecution.

This wide-ranging operational involvement gives me a unique and informed perspective on our judicial system.

Below are my priorities, although I will listen to members on the Committee:

Prison Reform and Rehabilitation Focus: Improve both the physical conditions and rehabilitation opportunities in existing prisons, while building new facilities.

Address Court Delays and Inefficiencies: Increase the number of courts, judges, and legal professionals to reduce backlogs and delays. Make the system more efficient to prevent prolonged suffering for victims, witnesses, and defendants.

Improving Access to Legal Support: Ensure that everyone has access to early legal advice and representation.

I am fearless in holding individuals to account, regardless of their position or status. As evidenced by my endorsers, including other legal professionals and opposition MPs, there is confidence in my ability to chair and lead a fair, robust, and constructive committee at a time when it is needed most.

With your support, I look forward to working across party lines for the good of our country. 

Further information  

Image credit: House of Commons