§ Lord Hughes of Woodsideasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which Minister now has responsibility for the handling of pre-Union Scottish Peerage claims. [HL4078]
§ Lord Evans of Temple GuitingThese functions have been exercised by the Secretary of State for Scotland since being transferred from the Home Secretary in 1977. The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor is now responsible for matters relating to hereditary peerages, and it has therefore been agreed that the non-statutory functions in relation to claims to disputed or dormant pre-Union peerages of Scotland currently held by the Secretary of State for Scotland will transfer to the Lord Chancellor with immediate effect.
The functions include receipt of petitions to the sovereign about claims to uncertain or disputed peerages of Scotland, and petitions for regrant, and reference of such petitions to the appropriate Law Officers for advice.
The role of the Advocate-General for Scotland as the appropriate Law Officer remains unchanged.