Attorney General for Northern Ireland: Difference between revisions

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The Attorney General for Northern Ireland is the chief legal adviser to the Northern Ireland Executive for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Attorney General for Northern Ireland is also the chief public prosecutor for Northern Ireland ^{[citation needed]} and is responsible for the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland. ^{[citation needed]}

History

The original post was formed in 1921 with the establishment of the Parliament of Northern Ireland and was always held by an Ulster Unionist Party MP.^[1] A Deputy Attorney General briefly held office in 1946, when the post was held by Edmond Warnock MP (21 June - 11 September).^[2]

The Attorney General for England and Wales performed the role of Attorney General for Northern Ireland after the prorogation of the Parliament of Northern Ireland in 1972.^[3] These office-holders were always United Kingdom Government Ministers.

Justice powers were again devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 12 April 2010, at which point the Attorney General for England and Wales ceased to hold office as Attorney General of Northern Ireland. She instead became Advocate General for Northern Ireland^[4] and a vacancy occurred. The current office-holder, John Larkin QC, is politically independent and took office on 24 May 2010,^[5] when he was appointed by First Minister Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

The role and powers of the Attorney General for Northern Ireland are provided in the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002. He or she is appointed for a term of not more than five years jointly by the First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. The Attorney General is permitted to participate in the proceedings of the Assembly, but not to vote.

Office-holders

Devolved government 1921-1972

Colour key (for political parties):
Ulster Unionist

Name		Term of office		Political party	Prime Minister (NI)
style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	Richard Best MP	7 June 1921	5 November 1925	Ulster Unionist	rowspan="4" style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	Sir James Craig
style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	Anthony Babington MP	5 November 1925	3 December 1937	Ulster Unionist
style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	Edward Sullivan Murphy MP	3 December 1937	14 April 1939	Ulster Unionist
rowspan="2" style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	Arthur Black MP	14 April 1939	10 November 1941	Ulster Unionist
rowspan="2" style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	Arthur Black MP	14 April 1939	10 November 1941	Ulster Unionist	J. M. Andrews
rowspan="2" style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	John MacDermott MP	10 November 1941	3 November 1944	Ulster Unionist	J. M. Andrews
rowspan="5" style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	John MacDermott MP	10 November 1941	3 November 1944	Ulster Unionist	Sir Basil Brooke
style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	William Lowry MP	3 November 1944	6 June 1947	Ulster Unionist
style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	Lancelot Curran MP	6 June 1947	4 November 1949	Ulster Unionist
style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	Edmond Warnock MP	4 November 1949	14 April 1956	Ulster Unionist
rowspan="2" style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	Brian Maginess MP	14 April 1956	20 March 1964	Ulster Unionist
rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	Brian Maginess MP	14 April 1956	20 March 1964	Ulster Unionist	Terence O'Neill
style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	Edward Warburton Jones MP	20 March 1964	1 March 1968	Ulster Unionist
rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	Basil Kelly MP	11 March 1968	30 March 1972	Ulster Unionist
style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|					James Chichester-Clark
style="background-color: Template:Ulster Unionist Party/meta/color" \|					Brian Faulkner

Direct rule 1972-2010

Colour key (for political parties):
Conservative Labour

Name		Term of office		Political party	Prime Minister (UK)
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	Sir Peter Rawlinson MP	30 March 1972	4 March 1974	Conservative	style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	Edward Heath
rowspan="2" style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	Samuel Silkin MP	7 March 1974	4 May 1979	Labour	style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	Harold Wilson
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	Samuel Silkin MP	7 March 1974	4 May 1979	Labour	James Callaghan
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	Sir Michael Havers MP	6 May 1979	13 June 1987	Conservative	rowspan="2" style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	Margaret Thatcher
rowspan="2" style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	Sir Patrick Mayhew MP	13 June 1987	10 April 1992	Conservative		Margaret Thatcher
rowspan="2" style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	Sir Patrick Mayhew MP	13 June 1987	10 April 1992	Conservative	John Major
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	Sir Nicholas Lyell MP	10 April 1992	2 May 1997	Conservative	John Major
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	Sir John Morris MP	6 May 1997	29 July 1999	Labour	rowspan="3" style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	Tony Blair
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	The Lord Williams of Mostyn	29 July 1999	11 June 2001	Labour
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	The Lord Goldsmith	11 June 2001	27 June 2007	Labour
style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	The Baroness Scotland of Asthal	27 June 2007	12 April 2010	Labour	style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" \|	Gordon Brown

Devolved government 2010-present

Colour key (for political parties):
None Democratic Unionist Party Sinn Féin

Name		Portrait	Term of office		Political party	First Minister and deputy First Minister
rowspan="2" style="background-color: Template:No party preference/meta/color" \|	John Larkin QC		24 May 2010	Incumbent	None	style="background-color: Template:Democratic Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	Peter Robinson	rowspan="2" style="background-color: Template:Sinn Féin/meta/color" \|	Martin McGuinness
style="background-color: Template:Democratic Unionist Party/meta/color" \|	John Larkin QC		24 May 2010	Incumbent	None	Arlene Foster			Martin McGuinness

References

^ The Government of Northern Ireland: Attorney General
^ The Government of Northern Ireland: Deputy Attorney General
^ Section 1(2) of the Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972 and section 10 of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973
^ Attorney General's Office: Statement on Northern Ireland devolution, 12 April 2010 Archived 5 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
^ OFMDFM: Appointment of Attorney General announced, 24 May 2010 Archived 24 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine

External links

Office of the Attorney General for Northern Ireland

[1] The Government of Northern Ireland: Attorney General

[2] The Government of Northern Ireland: Deputy Attorney General

[3] Section 1(2) of the Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972 and section 10 of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973

[4] Attorney General's Office: Statement on Northern Ireland devolution, 12 April 2010 Archived 5 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine

[5] OFMDFM: Appointment of Attorney General announced, 24 May 2010 Archived 24 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine

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@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 The [[Attorney General for England and Wales]] performed the role of Attorney General for Northern Ireland after the prorogation of the [[Parliament of Northern Ireland]] in 1972.<ref>Section 1(2) of the Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972 and section 10 of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973</ref> These office-holders were always [[United Kingdom Government]] Ministers.
-Justice powers were again devolved to the [[Northern Ireland Assembly]] on 12 April 2010, at which point the Attorney General for England and Wales ceased to hold office as Attorney General of Northern Ireland.  She instead became [[Advocate General for Northern Ireland]]<ref>[http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk/NewsCentre/Pages/Devolution.aspx Attorney General's Office: Statement on Northern Ireland devolution, 12 April 2010] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110705174807/http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk/NewsCentre/Pages/Devolution.aspx |date=5 July 2011 }}</ref> and a vacancy occurred. The current office-holder, [[John Larkin (Northern Ireland)|John Larkin]] QC, is politically independent and took office on 24 May 2010,<ref>[http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/index/media-centre/news-departments/news-ofmdfm/news-ofmdfm-may-2010/news-ofmdfm-240510-appointment-of-attorney.htm OFMDFM: Appointment of Attorney General announced, 24 May 2010]</ref> when he was appointed by [[First Minister of Northern Ireland|First Minister]] [[Peter Robinson (Northern Ireland politician)|Peter Robinson]] and [[deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland|deputy First Minister]] [[Martin McGuinness]].
+Justice powers were again devolved to the [[Northern Ireland Assembly]] on 12 April 2010, at which point the Attorney General for England and Wales ceased to hold office as Attorney General of Northern Ireland.  She instead became [[Advocate General for Northern Ireland]]<ref>[http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk/NewsCentre/Pages/Devolution.aspx Attorney General's Office: Statement on Northern Ireland devolution, 12 April 2010] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110705174807/http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk/NewsCentre/Pages/Devolution.aspx |date=5 July 2011 }}</ref> and a vacancy occurred. The current office-holder, [[John Larkin (Northern Ireland)|John Larkin]] QC, is politically independent and took office on 24 May 2010,<ref>[http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/index/media-centre/news-departments/news-ofmdfm/news-ofmdfm-may-2010/news-ofmdfm-240510-appointment-of-attorney.htm OFMDFM: Appointment of Attorney General announced, 24 May 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424105404/http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/index/media-centre/news-departments/news-ofmdfm/news-ofmdfm-may-2010/news-ofmdfm-240510-appointment-of-attorney.htm |date=24 April 2011 }}</ref> when he was appointed by [[First Minister of Northern Ireland|First Minister]] [[Peter Robinson (Northern Ireland politician)|Peter Robinson]] and [[deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland|deputy First Minister]] [[Martin McGuinness]].
 The role and powers of the Attorney General for Northern Ireland are provided in the [[Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002]]. He or she is appointed for a term of not more than five years jointly by the [[First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland]]. The Attorney General is permitted to participate in the proceedings of the Assembly, but not to vote.