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Raab replacement cautious on Commons debut

Britain’s new Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk gave few clues about any changes in direction of policy during his debut appearance taking justice questions in the House of Commons, according to the Law Society Gazette of England and Wales.

Chalk was asked about a number of topics during his first time answering questions since he replaced Dominic Raab (pictured) last month, but was careful not to commit to any policy discussions at this stage.

Questioned specifically on the British Bill of Rights, a key pledge of Raab’s and still awaiting a second reading in the Commons, Chalk said: “I am looking carefully at the full range of the department’s work before setting out plans in detail.”

It was reported earlier this month that Raab’s departure would sound the ‘death knell’ for the bill.

Backlog

The Gazette said that MPs on both sides of the house urged Chalk to commit to keeping the Human Rights Act.

Sir Bob Neill, chair of the Commons justice select committee, said that the government’s priorities should be reducing the court backlog and protecting victims of crime rather than legislation, adding: "’If it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ is not a legal maxim but it is still a sound one.”

Chalk was hesitant to commit to a timescale for the British Government’s long-promised legislation to reduce SLAPPs (strategic lawsuits against public participation).

‘Unintended consequences’

The Lord Chancellor said that reforms such as costs protection might come through a new bill, but could also be added to an existing bill already before parliament.

He added: “SLAPPs represent an abuse of the legal system as they rely upon threatening tactics to silence individuals. [But] you have to take care with this legislation, and you have to take care to avoid unintended consequences.”

Chalk’s own quotes from his time as a backbencher, warning of the need for extra investment in legal aid, were brought up by the Labour benches.