Sir Igor Judge, the current President of the Queen’s Bench Division, has been named as the next Lord Chief Justice.

He will take over the post on 1 October when Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers takes up his new appointment as Senior Law Lord.

Sir Igor is also head of criminal justice – a position he has decided to retain. He said that, like his predecessor, he intends to sit across all the jurisdictions but he will preside regularly in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division.

He said: ‘This reflects my personal interest in the criminal justice system and the importance attached to it by the community at large.’

High Court judges Rupert Jackson, John Goldring and Richard Aikens have been appointed as Lords Justice of Appeal, on the appointment of Sir Igor, and also the retirements of Lords Justice Buxton and Gage.

Meanwhile, Lord Chancellor Jack Straw told Parliament last week that the bill for the new Supreme Court has risen by £2m owing to maintenance required to the parapet and tower at Middlesex Guildhall. This work takes the total set-up costs for the Supreme Court to nearly £59m.