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04 December 2018 / Adrian Jack
Issue: 7820 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Getting by on the bench

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Adrian Jack takes a critical look at the recent SSRB report on judicial salaries 

  • Examines the recent Senior Salaries Review Body report on judicial salaries.
  • Looks at proposed pay rises, structure and impact on particular posts.

On 12 October 2018 The Sun newspaper quoted ‘a source close to’ David Gauke, the Lord Chancellor, with the soundbite: ‘We are sympathetic to judges and are not saying we will not support a pay rise for them. But it is likely to be closer to 2% than 32%.’

This was in response to the leaked Senior Salaries Review Body’s (SSRB) report on the judicial salary structure. When the report was formally published on 26 October, the Lord Chancellor issued a press release saying: ‘Judges will be granted their biggest pay rise in ten years with an annual increase of 2%.’

The press release did not mention: (a) the consumer price index had risen 2.7% in 2017; (b) this was the tenth year of below inflation awards; and (c) the SSRB had recommended an increase

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