Clean slate as new ministers sweep in

The Department of Constitutional Affairs began life last week with a clean ministerial slate as three junior ministers joined the new Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer QC, in charting a course for the law and legal profession.

The new parliamentary under-secretaries are David Lammy, Christopher Leslie and Lord Filkin.

Barrister Mr Lammy, called in 1994, is the only lawyer - when he won the 2000 Tottenham by-election, he was employed at City law firm DJ Freeman (as was).

He was previously at the health department.

Mr Leslie is a career politician, entering Parliament in 1997 aged just 24.

He comes from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and was once Lord Falconer's parliamentary private secretary.

After a career in local government, Lord Filkin became a peer in 1999 and was previously a Home Office minister for race equality, community policy, and European and international policy.

The division of responsibilities has yet to be published, but it is likely that Mr Lammy will take over many of the key briefs, including legal aid.

This is Lord Falconer's fifth government job since he was ennobled in 1997.

He was a well-regarded Solicitor-General until he joined the Cabinet Office as minister of state in July 1998.

He then had a rough ride as minister responsible for the Millennium Dome.

In June 2001, he became minister for housing, planning and regeneration.

He moved to the Home Office in May 2002 as minister for criminal justice, sentencing and law reform.

Law Society President Carolyn Kirby said the Society looked forward to working with Lord Falconer.

'The government has taken important steps to ensure that the relationship between the executive, legislature and judiciary is on a more modern footing,' she said.

A Bar Council spokesman said the bar welcomed the 'new atmosphere the DCA will create' and the opportunity for a fresh start.

Lord Falconer is more 'user-friendly' than Lord Irvine, he added.

The reshuffle brought promotions for two former Lord Chancellor's Department parliamentary under-secretaries.

Baroness Scotland and Rosie Winterton have become ministers of state at the Home Office and Department of Health respectively.

Baroness Scotland takes Lord Falconer's old job as criminal justice minister.

Their erstwhile colleague, Yvette Cooper, has moved sideways to become parliamentary under-secretary at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Two solicitors in government also fared well.

Mike O'Brien continues his rapid rise after returning to government, being promoted to Foreign Office minister, while Hazel Blears has left health and stepped up to Home Office minister.

Neil Rose