Appointments approved by the King strengthen oversight of judicial selection in England and Wales
His Majesty The King has approved the appointment of three new lay commissioners to the Judicial Appointments Commission, following advice from the Lord Chancellor, the Ministry of Justice has confirmed.
Tony Harking and Sarah Pittam have been appointed as lay commissioners of the JAC for three-year terms commencing on 1 October 2025. Siwan Davies has also been appointed as a lay commissioner, with specific responsibility for Welsh matters, for a three-year term commencing on 1 December 2025.
The JAC is an independent statutory body responsible for selecting candidates for judicial office in courts and tribunals across England and Wales, as well as for certain tribunals with UK-wide jurisdiction. Commissioners play a key role in safeguarding the integrity, fairness and transparency of the judicial appointments process.
Appointments to the commission are made by His Majesty The King on the recommendation of Lord Chancellor, under Schedule 12(1) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. The latest appointments were made in accordance with Regulation 9 of the Judicial Appointments Commission Regulations 2013.
Tony Harking brings extensive leadership experience from both the military and legal sectors. He served for 35 years in the Royal Engineers, undertaking a wide range of roles and deployments, including service with the Gurkhas. Following his military career, he worked in industry on training projects before spending six years as Under Treasurer and Chief Executive of the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn.
Sarah Pittam joins the commission with a background in governance, public administration and education. She currently serves as a Civil Service Commissioner and an independent non-executive director. Her experience includes advising organisations across the state-funded and independent education sectors on governance, finance and operational matters. She has worked with the Department for Education, academy trusts, local authorities and independent school groups, and has held several trustee and audit committee leadership roles.
Siwan Davies brings experience in parliamentary service and governance, with a particular focus on Welsh matters. Following an international career in parliamentary roles, she now has a portfolio career centred on strategic leadership in political and regulatory environments. Her work has included senior and statutory appointments, ethical leadership and organisational change, as well as non-legal directorships within legal organisations. A native Welsh speaker, she is based in west Wales.
The appointments reinforce the JAC’s statutory role in maintaining public confidence in the judicial appointments system through independent oversight and diverse professional perspectives.