Government Legal Department
The Government Legal Department (previously called the Treasury Solicitor's Department) is the largest in-house legal organisation in the United Kingdom's Government Legal Profession.
| Non-ministerial government department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1876 |
| Jurisdiction | United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | 102 Petty France, London, SW1H 9GL |
| Employees | 2,000+ |
| Annual budget | £114.7 million (2009-2010) |
| Ministers responsible |
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| Non-ministerial government department executive |
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| Website | gov |
| Treasury Solicitor Act 1876 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
Parliament of the United Kingdom | |
| Long title | An Act to incorporate the Solicitor for the affairs of Her Majesty's Treasury, and make further provision respecting the grant of administration of the Estates of deceased persons for the use of Her Majesty. |
| Citation | 39 & 40 Vict. c. 18 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 27 June 1876 |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The department is headed by the Treasury Solicitor (formally, 'The Solicitor for the affairs of His Majesty's Treasury'). This office goes back several centuries. The office was enshrined in law by the Treasury Solicitor Act 1876 (39 & 40 Vict. c. 18), which established the Treasury Solicitor as a corporation sole (an office with perpetual succession). Employees of the department exercise legal powers which are vested in the corporation sole.
The department is a non-ministerial government department and executive agency. The Treasury Solicitor reports to the Attorney General for England and Wales. The department employs more than 1,900 solicitors and barristers to provide advice and legal representation on a huge range of issues to many government departments.