Page 60 - Judicial Diversity Update report

2.96. However, for senior appointments, it seems that fewer disabled candidates
apply and they are infrequently appointed when they do. For the High Court
and 2018-2019 Circuit bench exercises no disabled candidates were appointed
despite between four and six per cent of applicants having a disability.

Notes on the pool

2.97. Data from the SRA indicates that 3% of solicitors, and 3% of partners of firms
135
declare a disability. The BSB statistics indicate that 3% of all barristers are
136
disabled, though only 1% of Silks. The response rates among barristers to
137
questions about disability are low. Additionally, across the board, there are
low declaration rates to questions about disability.
138

2.98. The JAC has included reference to the last census, which suggests that 13.8%
of the population has a disability that limits their functioning between ‘a little’
and ‘a lot’. The JAC does strongly caution the use of the statistics given the
unlikely correlation to the eligible pool figures for judicial appointment.

Conclusions on disability

2.99. Our efforts to include analysis of disability as a characteristic in this Update
have been hampered by inadequate data. Independent collection of data about
disability is impossible given the multitude and great variations of disabilities;
some obvious, many not. We have been unable to collect any quantitative data

135 Solicitors Regulation Authority, Diversity in the profession, 29 October 2019, available online at
https://www.sra.org.uk/risk/outlook/priority-risks/diversity/
136 Bar Standards Board, Diversity at the Bar 2018, February 2019, available online at
https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/uploads/assets/1fda3d4b-c7e3-4aa8-
a063024155c7341d/diversityatthebar2018.pdf pp.13-14
137 We understand that, in 2017, 13% of students attending university or college reported having at
least one disability. See, Beyond the bare minimum: Are universities and colleges doing enough for
disabled students?, Office for Students, available online at
https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/beyond-the-bare-minimum-are-universities-and-
colleges-doing-enough-for-disabled-students/
138 The Bar Standards Board reported a response rate of 49% to questions about disability in 2018, see
Bar Standards Board, Diversity at the Bar 2018, February 2019, available online at
https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/uploads/assets/1fda3d4b-c7e3-4aa8-
a063024155c7341d/diversityatthebar2018.pdf p. 13
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