header-logo header-logo

Home Login E-newsletter About us

Counsellors of State: time to widen the circle? (Pt 2)

© Copyright LexisNexis 2025. All Rights Reserved.
27 January 2023 / Neil Parpworth
Issue: 8010 / Categories: Features , Constitutional law , Public
printer mail-detail
Is the Counsellors of State Act 2022 a short-term solution? Neil Parpworth suggests it may be a missed opportunity for bolder reforms

In brief

  • The modest changes made to the Regency Act 1937 by virtue of s 1, Counsellors of State Act 2022, which received royal assent in December 2022.
  • Consideration of why the new Act might be regarded as a missed opportunity to make more significant reforms with longer lasting effects.

The Counsellors of State Act 2022 (CSA 2022) received royal assent on 6 December 2022 and came into effect the day after (see s 2(2), CSA 2022). Unusually, it is a piece of legislation which was effectively requested by the sovereign, as was evident from a message sent by the king to both Houses of Parliament on 14 November 2022, which read as follows:

‘To enable continued efficiency of public business when I am unavailable, such as while I am undertaking official duties overseas, I confirm that I would be most content, should Parliament

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Read All
Sponsored by
Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Sports, education and charities practice welcomes senior associate

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Partner and head of commercial litigation joins in Chelmsford

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Firm strengthens Glasgow corporate practice with partner hire

NEWS
Read All
Stress at work for corporate counsel
One in five in-house lawyers suffer ‘high’ or ‘severe’ work-related stress, according to a report by global legal body, the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
Chancery Lane says no to LeO
The Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO’s) plea for a budget increase has been rejected by the Law Society and accepted only ‘with reluctance’ by conveyancers
Human rights concerns for patients, prisoners & immigration detainees
Overcrowded prisons, mental health hospitals and immigration centres are failing to meet international and domestic human rights standards, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has warned
Licensing fast-track for conveyancing & probate professionals
Two speedier and more streamlined qualification routes have been launched for probate and conveyancing professionals
Stress at work? Join the (employment tribunal claim) queue
Workplace stress was a contributing factor in almost one in eight cases before the employment tribunal last year, indicating its endemic grip on the UK workplace
Copyright © 2025 LexisNexis
back-to-top-scroll