250In section 105 of the Arbitration Act 1996 (jurisdiction of High Court and county court), after subsection (3) insert—
“(3A)The Lord Chancellor must consult the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales or the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland (as the case may be) before making an order under this section.
(3B)The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales may nominate a judicial office holder (as defined in section 109(4) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise his functions under this section.
(3C)The Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland may nominate any of the following to exercise his functions under this section—
(a)the holder of one of the offices listed in Schedule 1 to the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002;
(b)a Lord Justice of Appeal (as defined in section 88 of that Act).”