Constitutional Reform Act 2005

139 (1) Section 91 (deputies and temporary appointments) is amended as follows. U.K.

(2) In subsection (1)—

(a) for “Lord Chancellor” in the first place substitute “ Lord Chief Justice, after consulting the Lord Chancellor, ”;

(b) in paragraph (a) omit “or III”;

(c) for “Lord Chancellor thinks fit” substitute “ Lord Chief Justice may, after consulting the Lord Chancellor, think fit ”.

(3) After subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) If it appears to the Lord Chancellor that it is expedient to do so in order to facilitate the disposal of business in the Senior Courts, he may appoint a person—

(a) to act as a deputy for any person holding an office listed in column 1 of Part 3 of Schedule 2; or

(b) to act as a temporary additional officer in any such office,

during such period or on such occasions as the Lord Chancellor may think fit.”

(4) After subsection (6) insert—

“(7) The Lord Chief Justice may nominate a judicial office holder (as defined in section 109(4) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise his functions under subsection (1).”