Dear Mr Elibank

Re: Request under the 2000 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Thank you for your e-mail dated 17^th January 2009, in which you requested the following information from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

With regard to each occasion when The Queen's functions have been delegated in this way since 1st January 1991 inclusive please provide the following information:

1. Which people acted as Counsellors of State?

I can confirm that the department holds some relevant information and I can confirm your request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I will address each of your questions in turn:

1. Those persons named in the relevant Letters Patent i.e. those specified in section 6(2) of the Regency Act of 1937 as amended by section 3 of the Regency Act 1953, were appointed and specific details are available from the Patent Roll extracts held in the National Archives. There are no formal records held in this office of those who may have been called upon to act as Counsellors of State.

You can contact the National Archives on the following:

Address: The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU

Or via email: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/contact/default.htm

2. I can confirm that the Department holds records of the dates when the Royal functions were delegated. Please see the attached schedule.

3. I can confirm, that for each of the periods set out in the schedule, where functions were delegated, Letters Patent were issued empowering not less than two of the Counsellors of State to exercise jointly, the delegated Royal functions.

4. Royal functions were exercised by Counsellors of State during some of these periods of delegation. No records are maintained in this office of the specific functions exercised.

If you are unhappy with the result of your request for information, you may request an internal review within two calendar months of the date of this letter by writing to: Data Access and Compliance Unit, Information Directorate, Ministry of Justice, 6th Floor, Zone B, 102 Petty France, London SW1H 9AJ.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

If you have any queries about your request please feel free to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Ian Denyer

C I P Denyer