Lord Chancellor (Hansard, 24 October 1994)

§ Mr. Boateng
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what percentage of meetings of the Cabinet the Lord Chancellor has attended for each year since 1970.

Mr. John M. Taylor
It is not Government policy to release details concerning meetings of the Cabinet. The Lord Chancellor is, however, guided, as are all Cabinet Ministers, by paragraph 20 of Questions of Procedure for Ministers, which statesCabinet meetings take precedence over all other business except meetings of the Privy Council.

§ Mr. Boateng
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what figures he has concerning the percentage of working time spent by(a) the current Lord Chancellor and (b) Lord Chancellors since 1964 on their three respective roles as head of the judiciary, Speaker of the House of Lords and head of the administration of the civil justice system; what figures he has on the number of hours each has spent sitting as a judge and as Speaker of the House of Lords; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John M. Taylor
The information is not available in the form requested and it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Information is available on the number of days which Lord Chancellors since 1964 have spent sitting judicially in the House of Lords and in the Privy Council, and is set out in the table. The Lord Chancellor spends a significant proportion of his time carrying out his duties as Speaker of the House of Lords, for which 14 per cent. of his official salary is paid by the House of Lords. The great majority of the Lord Chancellor's time is spent on his combined duties as head of the judiciary and as a Cabinet Minister with a wide range of responsibilities for the administration of justice.

Lord Chancellor Period of Office Number of days^* House of Lords Number of days^* Privy Council

Lord Gardiner 1964–70 4 9

Lord Hailsham of St. Marylebone 1970–74 28 10

Lord Elwyn-Jones 1974–79 8 —

Lord Hailsham of St. Marylebone 1979–87 53 15

Lord Havers 1987 — —

Lord Mackay of Clashfern 1987–94 60 7

^* ie 4.5 hours.

Lord Chancellor	Period of Office	Number of days^* House of Lords	Number of days^* Privy Council
Lord Gardiner	1964–70	4	9
Lord Hailsham of St. Marylebone	1970–74	28	10
Lord Elwyn-Jones	1974–79	8	—
Lord Hailsham of St. Marylebone	1979–87	53	15
Lord Havers	1987	—	—
Lord Mackay of Clashfern	1987–94	60	7
^* ie 4.5 hours.