Lord President of the Council

The Office of Lord President of the Council is a British cabinet position, the holder of which acts as presiding officer of the Privy Council. The Lord President's principal responsibility is to preside at meetings of the Privy Council, at which the British monarch formally assents to Orders-in-Council. As the duties of the post are not rigorous it has often been given to a government minister, usually one of high standing, with non-departmental specific responsibilities. In recent years it has been most usual for the Lord President to also serve as Leader of the House of Commons, though as peers both the current Lord President Lady Amos, and her predecessor Lord Williams of Mostyn, who died in office on 20 September 2003, have combined the office with that of Leader of the House of Lords.

Related Topics:
British - Cabinet - Privy Council - British monarch - Orders-in-Council - Leader of the House of Commons - Lady Amos - Lord Williams of Mostyn - 20 September - 2003 - Leader of the House of Lords

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The Lord President is the fourth of the Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above the Lord Privy Seal.

Related Topics:
Great Officers of State - Lord High Treasurer - Lord Privy Seal

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In the 19th century, the Lord President was generally the cabinet member responsible for the educational system amongst their other duties, a role still played by the Privy Council at this time, although this role was gradually scaled back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

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On several occasions non-British Ministers have served briefly as acting Lords President of the Council, solely to preside over a meeting of the Privy Council held in a realm. Examples of this practice are the meetings in New Zealand in 1990 and 1995, when the Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Palmer and the Rt Hon James Bolger respectively were acting Lord Presidents.

Related Topics:
Realm - New Zealand - 1990 - 1995 - Geoffrey Palmer - James Bolger

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A particularly vital role was played by the Lord President of the Council during the Second World War. The Lord President served as chairman of the Lord President's Committee. This committee acted as a central clearing house for dealing with economic problems that affected the country. As such, it was vital to the smooth running of the British war economy and consequently the entire British war effort.

Related Topics:
Second World War - Lord President's Committee - War economy

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