Lieutenancies Act 1997
Encyclopedia
The Lieutenancies Act 1997 (1997 c. 23) is an Act of Parliament
in the United Kingdom
, that defines areas that Lord-Lieutenants are appointed to in Great Britain
. It came into force on July 1, 1997.
, a Lord-Lieutenant was appointed to each of the counties
. However this Act redefined the areas to be combinations of the new administrative counties
and county borough
s. In practice the effect was quite minor, with only a few border differences between the historic and new administrative counties.
These areas changed little until the 1965 creation of Greater London
and Huntingdon and Peterborough
, which resulted in the abolition of the offices of Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex
, Lord Lieutenant of the County of London
and Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire
and the creation of the Lord Lieutenant of Greater London
and Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdon and Peterborough
.
directly.
A year later the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
came info force, but this Act redefined the Lieutenancies not to be based on the new Scottish Regions, but an approximation of the traditional counties in some places and entirely new creations in others.
The effect of both Acts was the creation of a whole set of new Lieutenancies that were not based on traditional counties in any way.
Many of these Lieutenancies were not to last however. By the mid-1990s another local government reorganisation
was underway and many of the non-metropolitan counties in England were re-organised, resulting in the creation of unitary authorities
. Local government in Scotland and Wales moved to a system based entirely on unitary authorities.
At this time plans were drawn up for the Lieutenancies Act which would separate the Lieutenancy areas from being directly based on local government areas again. Although not actually used in the Act, these areas have come to be known as "ceremonial counties".
by the Lord Chancellor
in January 1997, as a consolidation bill
, to simplify and replace earlier legislation. It had its second reading soon afterwards. As a consolidation bill it was not subject to debate in the Commons at the second and third readings.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, that defines areas that Lord-Lieutenants are appointed to in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. It came into force on July 1, 1997.
Creation of modern local government
Prior to the Local Government Act 1888Local Government Act 1888
The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales...
, a Lord-Lieutenant was appointed to each of the counties
Counties of the United Kingdom
The counties of the United Kingdom are subnational divisions of the United Kingdom, used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. By the Middle Ages counties had become established as a unit of local government, at least in England. By the early 17th century all...
. However this Act redefined the areas to be combinations of the new administrative counties
Administrative county
An administrative county was an administrative division in England and Wales and Ireland used for the purposes of local government. They are now abolished, although in Northern Ireland their former areas are used as the basis for lieutenancy....
and county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
s. In practice the effect was quite minor, with only a few border differences between the historic and new administrative counties.
These areas changed little until the 1965 creation of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
and Huntingdon and Peterborough
Huntingdon and Peterborough
Huntingdon and Peterborough was a short-lived administrative county in East Anglia in the United Kingdom. It existed from 1965 to 1974, when it became part of Cambridgeshire.-Formation:...
, which resulted in the abolition of the offices of Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex
Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex. The office was abolished on 1 April 1965, with the creation of Greater London and the post of Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, with small parts of Middlesex coming under the jurisdiction of the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, the...
, Lord Lieutenant of the County of London
Lord Lieutenant of the County of London
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of the County of London.The post was created in 1889, absorbing the duties of the Lord Lieutenant of the Tower Hamlets, and abolished in 1965, when it was merged with that of Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex to become the Lord Lieutenant of...
and Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire
Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire. Huntingdonshire became part of Huntingdon and Peterborough in 1965; see Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdon and Peterborough...
and the creation of the Lord Lieutenant of Greater London
Lord Lieutenant of Greater London
The Lord Lieutenant of Greater London is Her Majesty's representative in Greater London, including the 32 London boroughs.This is a complete list of Lord Lieutenants of Greater London in the United Kingdom....
and Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdon and Peterborough
Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdon and Peterborough
This is a list of those people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdon and Peterborough during that county's short existence from 1965. The office was preceded by that of the Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire, also taking part of the jurisdiction of the Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire,...
.
Local government re-organisation
In 1974, administrative counties and county boroughs were abolished in England and Wales, and a major reform took place. At this time, Lieutenancy was redefined to use the new metropolitan and non-metropolitan countiesMetropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England
Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of subdivisions of England used for the purposes of local government outside Greater London. As originally constituted, the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties each consisted of multiple districts, had a county council and...
directly.
A year later the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
The Local Government Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland, on May 16, 1975....
came info force, but this Act redefined the Lieutenancies not to be based on the new Scottish Regions, but an approximation of the traditional counties in some places and entirely new creations in others.
The effect of both Acts was the creation of a whole set of new Lieutenancies that were not based on traditional counties in any way.
Many of these Lieutenancies were not to last however. By the mid-1990s another local government reorganisation
1990s UK local government reform
The structure of local government in the United Kingdom underwent large changes in the 1990s. The system of two-tier local government introduced in the 1970s by the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Government Act 1973 was abolished in Scotland and Wales on April 1, 1996, and replaced with...
was underway and many of the non-metropolitan counties in England were re-organised, resulting in the creation of unitary authorities
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
. Local government in Scotland and Wales moved to a system based entirely on unitary authorities.
At this time plans were drawn up for the Lieutenancies Act which would separate the Lieutenancy areas from being directly based on local government areas again. Although not actually used in the Act, these areas have come to be known as "ceremonial counties".
Passage through Parliament
The Lieutancies Bill was introduced in the House of LordsHouse of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
by the Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
in January 1997, as a consolidation bill
Consolidation bill
A consolidation bill is a bill introduced into the Parliament of the United Kingdom with the intention of consolidating several Acts of Parliament or Statutory Instruments into a single Act...
, to simplify and replace earlier legislation. It had its second reading soon afterwards. As a consolidation bill it was not subject to debate in the Commons at the second and third readings.
Lieutenancy areas
- In England the "ceremonial counties" are defined in terms of local government areas created by the Local Government Act 1972Local Government Act 1972The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
as amended.
- In Scotland the ceremonial areas as defined by statutory instrumentStatutory InstrumentA Statutory Instrument is the principal form in which delegated or secondary legislation is made in Great Britain.Statutory Instruments are governed by the Statutory Instruments Act 1946. They replaced Statutory Rules and Orders, made under the Rules Publication Act 1893, in 1948.Most delegated...
. The current such one being The Lord-Lieutenants (Scotland) Order 1996, Statutory Instrument 1996 No. 731 (S.83)
- In Wales they are defined as the "preserved counties" — currently defined as combinations of local government areas by the Preserved Counties (Amendment to Boundaries) (Wales) Order 2003, Statutory Instrument 2003 No. 974 (W.133).
See also
- Ceremonial counties of EnglandCeremonial counties of EnglandThe ceremonial counties are areas of England to which are appointed a Lord Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as counties and areas for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England and Lieutenancies Act 1997...
- Lieutenancy areas of ScotlandLieutenancy areas of ScotlandThe lieutenancy areas of Scotland are the areas used for the ceremonial lord-lieutenants, the monarch's representatives, in Scotland. They are different from the local government council areas, the committee areas, the sheriffdoms, the registration counties, the former regions and districts, the...
- Preserved counties of WalesPreserved counties of WalesThe preserved counties of Wales are the current areas used in Wales for the ceremonial purposes of Lieutenancy and Shrievalty. They are based on the counties created by the Local Government Act 1972 and used for local government and other purposes between 1974 and 1996.-Usage:The Local Government ...