"I am delighted to announce that I have been elected Chairman of the Justice Select Committee for this Parliament by my colleagues.
Having been a barrister specialising in criminal law for 25 years, it’s an appointment that I’m both honoured and excited to take on, giving me a real opportunity to scrutinise Government policy in a field I care about deeply.
The quality of our justice system not only underpins our fundamental values as a democracy but also directly, and indirectly, impacts upon all our lives, often without us thinking about it. The next five years will be an incredibly important time for the justice system, and I am determined that the Committee works on a genuinely cross-party basis to rigorously scrutinise Government policy and service delivery.
Having been involved in the Committee in previous Parliaments, I know that exciting yet challenging times lie ahead, and I very much look forward to starting the new role shortly. I will, of course, post any updates of our work on my website."