In section 2 (General Commissioners), after subsection (6) insert—

“(6A)

The Lord Chancellor must consult the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales or, in Northern Ireland, the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland before exercising any function conferred on him by subsection (1) or (6).

(6B)

The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales may nominate a judicial office holder (as defined in section 109(4) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise his functions under this section.

(6C)

The Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland may nominate one of the following to exercise his functions under this section—

(a)

the holder of one of the offices listed in Schedule 1 to the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002;

(b)

a Lord Justice of Appeal (as defined in section 88 of that Act).”