I propose to take Questions Nos. 1024 to 1027, inclusive, together.
The Thirty-third Amendment of the Constitution (Court of Appeal) Bill 2013 was published on 9 July. The Referendum on the Court of Appeal is due to be held on 4 October next. In the event that the Referendum is passed the changes to the Constitution contained in the Bill will take effect in accordance with the provisions in the Bill.
As regards the issues raised by the Deputy, the following is the position:
-The President of the High Court's ex-officio membership of the Supreme Court is provided for in the Courts (Establishment and Constitution) Act 1961 rather than in the Constitution. It is the Government's intention that the President of the High Court will continue to be an ex-officio member of the Supreme Court.
-The Bill does not provide for any change to the President of the High Court's ex-officio membership of the Council of State. Instead, the Bill provides for the amendment of Article 31.2.i to include the President of the Court of Appeal as an additional ex-officio member of the Council of State.
-If the Referendum is passed, there will be one Court of Appeal which will deal with both civil and criminal appeals.
-The Bill provides for the deletion of the one-judgment rule contained in Article 34.4.5. However, the Bill proposes no change to the one-judgment rule contained in Article 26.2.2, where a Bill is referred to the Supreme Court by the President. The provisions in the Bill in this regard are at one with the recommendations of the Constitution Review Group.