Senior Courts Act 1981

89 Masters and registrars.E+W

(1)The power to make appointments to the offices in the Supreme Court listed in column 1 of Parts II and III of Schedule 2 shall be exercisable by [F1Her Majesty.]

[F2(1A)The maximum number of appointments under subsection (1) is such as may be determined from time to time by the Lord Chancellor with the concurrence of the Treasury.]

(2)The person appointed to the office of Queen’s coroner and attorney and master of the Crown Office [F3and Registrar of criminal appeals] shall, by virtue of his appointment, be a master of the Queen’s Bench Division.

[F4(3)Her Majesty shall, on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor, appoint a person to each office listed in the first column of the table in subsection (3C) (“a senior office”).

(3A)A person may be appointed to a senior office only if—

(a)he holds the office in the corresponding entry in the second column of that table (“the qualifying office”), or

(b)he does not hold the qualifying office but could be appointed to it in compliance with section 88.

(3B)Where a person who is to be appointed to a senior office meets the condition in subsection (3A)(b) he shall, when appointed to the senior office, also be appointed to the qualifying office.

(3C)This is the table referred to in subsections (3) and (3A)—

Senior officeQualifying office
Senior Master of the Queen's Bench DivisionMaster of the Queen's Bench Division
Chief Chancery MasterMaster of the Chancery Division
Chief Taxing MasterTaxing master of the Senior Courts
Chief Bankruptcy RegistrarRegistrar in bankruptcy of the High Court
Senior District Judge of the Family DivisionRegistrar of the Principal Registry of the Family Division]

(4)The person appointed Senior Master under subsection (3)(a) shall hold and perform the duties of the offices of the Queen’s Remembrancer and registrar of judgments.

(5)—(7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5

[F6(7A)A person appointed under subsection (1) is to be paid such salary, and a person appointed to a senior office is to be paid such additional salary, as may be determined by the Lord Chancellor with the concurrence of the Treasury.

(7B)A salary payable under or by virtue of this section—

(a)may in any case be increased, but

(b)may not, in the case of a salary payable in respect of an office listed in column 1 of Part 2 of Schedule 2 or of a senior office, be reduced,

by a determination or further determination under this section.]

(8)Salaries payable under or by virtue of this section shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament.

Textual Amendments

F1Words in s. 89(1) substituted (3.4.2006 for certain purposes and otherwise prosp.) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 14, 148, Sch. 3 para. 3(2); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 9

F2S. 89(1A) inserted (3.4.2006 for certain purposes and otherwise prosp.) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 14, 148, Sch. 3 para. 3(3); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 9

F6S. 89(7A)(7B) inserted (3.4.2006 for certain purposes and otherwise prosp.) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 14, 148, Sch. 3 para. 3(5); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 9