The Ministry of Justice is set to raise the retirement age for judges in England and Wales to 75 to combat recruitment issues and mounting legal backlogs. At present, the mandatory retirement age for judges in the two countries is 70, but this would see more than 6,500 magistrates in their 60s leave their roles in the next decade. The rule change has also been prompted by the number of people continuing their careers into their 70s doubling over the last decade, according to the Daily Telegraph. Justice Secretary Robert Buckland told the paper: 'Raising the retirement age will mean we can retain their invaluable experience, while ensuring that judicial roles are open to a wider pool of talent.