Keeper of The Seals - United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Several British officials have titles connected to the keeping of seals.

• Lord Privy Seal: Keeper of the Privy Seal of England and one of the five Great Officers of State. A sinecure office used to bring a person into the British Cabinet as a Minister without Portfolio.
• Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland: An honor traditionally given to a Scottish Peer, vacant since 1922.
• Lord High Chancellor: Keeper of the Great Seal of the Realm. The office today is primarily concerned with the administration of the courts, and is linked by constitutional convention to the office of Secretary of State for Justice; all Justice Secretaries since the creation of the office have also been appointed Lord Chancellor. Prior to the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, the office had had substantial legislative, executive, and judicial power; the Act stripped the Lord Chancellor non-executive functions (besides sitting in Parliament when held by an MP or a Peer entitled to a seat in the Lords). The office's responsibilities had previously not only been those of the chief administrator of the court system but also of presiding officer of the House of Lords (succeeded in that capacity by the Lord Speaker) and of a judge or judge-like position on several judicial bodies.
• Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland: An official entrusted with the Great Seal of Scotland, generally given to holders of Scotland-specific offices. Currently held ex officio by the First Minister of Scotland; the position of the First Minister takes its position in the order of precedence by virtue of his or her position as Keeper of the Great Seal. Before the Scotland Act 1998 created the office of First Minister, the position of Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland was generally given to the Secretary of State for Scotland.
• Keeper of the Welsh Seal: An office created by the Government of Wales Act 2006 to grant the First Minister of Wales an official position for purposes of the Order of Precedence as well as other ceremonial matters. No Welsh Seal had previously existed.
• Chancellor of Cornwall: Keeper of the Great Seal. Appointed by the Duchy of Cornwall, vacant since 1867.
• Keeper of the Privy Seal of Cornwall: Appointed by the Duchy of Cornwall, vacant since 1933.