Secretary of State for Justice

Secretary of State for Justice
Arms of Her Majesty's Government
Incumbent Chris Grayling since 4 September 2012
Style	The Right Honourable
Department	Ministry of Justice
Appointer	Elizabeth II
Inaugural holder	Lord Falconer of Thoroton
Formation	9 May 2007
Deputy	Minister of State for Justice
Website	www.justice.gov.uk/

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The Secretary of State for Justice is a senior position in the cabinet of the United Kingdom. It was created in 2007 replacing the abolished Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, which was originally intended to fulfil those functions of the office of Lord Chancellor which related to the Lord Chancellor's Department. On 9 May 2007, the Department for Constitutional Affairs was abolished, and a Ministry of Justice was created in its place. The Ministry of Justice is also responsible for certain functions transferred from the Home Office.

The then Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, was appointed to the post of Secretary of State for Justice on the abolition of his position as Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs. The Home Secretary, John Reid, told Parliament that future Secretaries of State for Justice would be MPs rather than peers. Jack Straw took over this department on 28 June 2007, following the selection of Gordon Brown as leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister and left office after the resignation of Gordon Brown on 11 May 2010. He was replaced by Conservative MP Ken Clarke. Ken Clarke was replaced by Chris Grayling in August 2012.

List of Secretaries of State

Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor
Name		Portrait	Term of office		Political party	Prime Minister
	The Rt. Hon. The Lord Falconer of Thoroton PC, QC		12 June 2003	8 May 2007	Labour		Tony Blair
Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor
Name		Portrait	Term of office		Political party	Prime Minister
	The Rt. Hon. The Lord Falconer of Thoroton PC, QC		9 May 2007	27 June 2007	Labour		Tony Blair
	The Rt. Hon. Jack Straw MP		28 June 2007	11 May 2010	Labour		Gordon Brown
	The Rt. Hon. Kenneth Clarke MP, QC		12 May 2010	4 September 2012	Conservative		David Cameron (Coalition)
	The Rt. Hon. Chris Grayling MP		4 September 2012	Incumbent	Conservative

See also

• Constitutional Reform Act 2005
• Lord Chancellor

External links

• The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs Order 2003 from HMSO
• The Ministry of Justice official website