The Prime Minister has appointed Sir John Saunders as Deputy Chair of the Security Vetting Appeals Panel. His four-year term commenced on 8 September 2026.
Sir John was called to the Bar in 1972, specialising in criminal and licensing law, and took silk in 1991. He became Recorder of Birmingham in 2004 and a High Court Judge in 2007.
During his time as a High Court Judge, he served as Presiding Judge of the South Eastern Circuit and managed the terrorist case list from 2014 to 2016. He retired from full-time judicial duties in 2016.
Since 2016, Sir John has served as a Deputy High Court Judge in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division and as President of the Court of Appeal for St Helena and the Falkland Islands. He also served as Vice Chairman of the Parole Board of England and Wales from 2016 to 2020.