New ministers briefed on division of DCA duties

Barrister David Lammy has emerged with the key briefs at the new Department for Constitutional Affairs after the division of responsibilities were announced last week.

Mr Lammy - the only lawyer among the three parliamentary under-secretaries appointed in the recent reshuffle - will take the lead on legal aid, civil justice, immigration, the Legal Services Ombudsman, and domestic and international legal services.

Christopher Leslie has been handed the criminal justice and courts briefs, and will also help the Lord Chancellor and secretary of state, Lord Falconer QC, on policy for the judicial appointments commission and creation of a supreme court.

Lord Filkin will speak for the government on family law, mental incapacity, tribunals and data protection among other things.

Meanwhile, Lord Falconer has named 14 July as the day a raft of consultations that follow the creation of the new department will be released.

Consultations on the judicial appointments commission, supreme court and future of QCs will all come out that day.

The consultations will close in November, and the government will announce its next steps 'early next year'.

Legislation on judges and the supreme court will be introduced 'at the earliest opportunity,' Lord Falconer added.