First Welsh Supreme Court judge is appointed

Image source, Supreme Court

Image caption, Lord Justice Lloyd Jones was chairman of the Law Commission for three years

The first Welsh member of the Supreme Court has been appointed.

Lord Justice Lloyd Jones - Sir David Lloyd Jones - has been a judge on the Wales circuit and was appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2012.

One of three new justices, he was born and brought up in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff.

The concept of needing a Welsh member of the highest court in the UK had been rejected as "premature" by a former deputy high court judge in 2015.

Lord Thomas of Gresford said that while Scotland and Northern Ireland had long-standing judicial systems, cases of Welsh law would "not be frequent" and did not require one of the 12 Supreme Court judges to be from Wales.

However, the court's then chief executive Jenny Rowe said as the body of Welsh law increased due to devolution, appointing a justice with a Welsh background would have to be considered.

Image caption, The Supreme Court is the UK's highest court

On Friday, the Supreme Court said 65-year-old Lord Justice Lloyd Jones would begin work on a date to be agreed.

The Supreme Court has handled rows over whether certain powers reside with UK or Welsh ministers.

They involved a Welsh asbestos compensation bill in February 2015 and, in July 2014, moves by ministers in Cardiff to protect the wages of agricultural workers.