| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act for enabling the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seale to Execute the office of Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper.[2] |
|---|---|
| Citation | 1 Will. & Mar. c. 21
|
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 22 June 1689 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amended by | |
Status: Partially repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
| Text of the Great Seal Act 1688 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. | |
The Great Seal Act 1688 (1 Will. & Mar. c. 21) is an Act of the Parliament of England. As of 2020[update] section 1 of the Act is still in force in Great Britain.[3]
The Act was passed because the office of Lord Chancellor had been put in commission (that is, divided between several officers at the same time, instead of being held by a single individual). Section 1 of the Act states that the commissioners are to be called Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal of England, and that each lord commissioner is to have the same powers as the Lord Chancellor has. Each lord commissioner is to rank in the order of precedence after the Speaker of the House of Commons. The office was last in commission in 1850.
As of September 2022[update] the Lord Chancellor is Brandon Lewis.
- ^ The citation of this Act by this short title was authorised by section 5 of, and Schedule 2 to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1948. Due to the repeal of those provisions, it is now authorised by section 19(2) of the Interpretation Act 1978.
- ^ These words are printed against this Act in the second column of Schedule 2 to the Statute Law Revision Act 1948, which is headed "Title".
- ^ The Chronological Table of the Statutes, 1235 - 2010. The Stationery Office. 2011. ISBN 978-0-11-840509-6. Part I. Page 68, read with pages viii and x.