The percentage of appointments to judicial posts from black and ethnic minorities fell during the past year, with the proportion of successful female applicants also seeing a decrease.

The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) received 3,514 valid applications for legal and non-legal positions for the period from 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 – an increase of almost 40% on the 2,535 during the previous year.

During the 12-month period, 449 appointments were made, with 5% coming from black and minority ethnic groups – a drop from the previous year's figure of 8%.

Twenty-nine percent of the total appointments were female, compared to 34% the previous year, while just 2% of those appointed had disabilities, compared to 7% during 2007-08.

JAC chairman Baroness Prashar said: "There was an expectation that the creation of the JAC alone would automatically make the judiciary more diverse. In fact, the establishment of the JAC, while replacing the 'tap on the shoulder' with open selection, has helped to highlight that there are many other factors which can prevent female solicitors and lawyers from ethnic minority groups from achieving their full potential.

"It is encouraging that there is now an increasing awareness that many of these barriers are outside of the JAC's control.

Prashar added: "We received almost half as many applications again as in our first full year (2007-08). The message is getting out that we have put in place a fair and open process which is no longer controlled by an 'old boy' network. The effects of the credit crunch are likely to increase those numbers further."