The joys of Parliament, part one

The government is taking its new-found commitment to the role of English law internationally very seriously, to judge by ministers' travel plans this summer.

Recent parliamentary questions have elicited that the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, is off to Australia, Hong Kong and Japan on official business, while junior minister David Lock must endure India and Sweden and colleague Jane Kennedy is left with just Canada.

Over at the law officers' department, the Attorney-General, Lord Williams, has the most arduous exotic travel schedule of all.

He has trips to South Africa, Germany, Brazil and China to fit in.

Clearly Solicitor-General Ross Cranston is in the dog house, because he's the only one not going anywhere.