Appointment process

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) is an independent, UK-wide, judicial body. It is made up of senior judges and lawyers from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

IPT appointments vary depending on whether a proposed candidate is a serving member of the senior judiciary of England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, or a senior member of the legal profession who is not a salaried judge.

Where Members are selected from the senior judiciary, the Judicial Office, on behalf of the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, manages the selection process. Depending on the particular need identified, the Judicial Office invites expressions of interest from High Court Judges in England and Wales, or their equivalent in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Tribunal also recruits Members through fair and open competition by placing advertisements in national newspapers and recruitment sites asking for expressions of interest from suitably qualified individuals.

Whether candidates come through the Judicial Office or the open competition route, the selection process is similar. The President of the Tribunal chairs a selection panel which formally recommends an appointment to the Secretary of State who, in turn, writes to the Prime Minister asking them to seek permission for Letters Patent from His Majesty the King for the recommended appointment(s). Members are usually appointed for a term of five years, after which they are eligible for reappointment.