New Clause 9 — Disqualification from holding further ministerial office
Orders of the Day — Constitutional Reform Bill [Lords] — [3rd Allotted Day]
House of Commons debates, 1 March 2005, 5:15 pm
Mr William Cash (Stone, Conservative)
The role of the Lord Chancellor in regard to the rule of law is clearly set out in clause 1, which states:
"This Act does not adversely affect—
(a) the existing constitutional principle of the rule of law, or
(b) the Lord Chancellor's existing constitutional role in relation to that principle."
Does my hon. Friend agree that, having hived off the judicial functions of the Lord Chancellor from that existing role by statute, a vast amount of extremely important functions would still be retained? In the light of that, the Lord Chancellor should not be reduced to the role of Secretary of State, which is an indivisible function. If I have an opportunity to speak later, I shall go into that matter further.