Supreme Court Act 1981

89 Masters and registrars

(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 the Lord Chancellor, with the concurrence of the Minister for the Civil Service as to numbers and salaries.

(2) The person appointed to the office of Queen's coroner and attorney and master of the Crown Office shall, by virtue of his appointment, be a master of the Queen's Bench Division.

(3) The Lord Chancellor shall appoint—

(a) one of the masters of the Queen's Bench Division as Senior Master of that Division ;

(b) one of the masters of the Chancery Division as Chief Chancery Master;

(c) one of the taxing masters of the Supreme Court as Chief Taxing Master;

(d) one of the registrars in bankruptcy of the High Court as Chief Bankruptcy Registrar ;

(e) one of the registrars of the Principal Registry of the Family Division as Senior Registrar of that Division; and

(f) one of the Chancery registrars as Chief Chancery Registrar,

with, in each case, such additional salary in respect of that appointment as the Lord Chancellor may, with the concurrence of the Minister for the Civil Service, determine.

(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) The following offices are hereby abolished—

(a) Assistant Master, Queen's Bench Division ;

(b) Taxing Master, High Court in Bankruptcy ; and

(c) Assistant Admiralty Registrar ;

but, as respects the office mentioned in paragraph (a), this subsection shall not have effect so long as there remains in office any person who held that office immediately before the commencement of this Act.

(6) The Lord Chancellor may by order provide for the abolition of the office of Registrar or Assistant Registrar, Chancery Division ; and any order under this subsection abolishing an office may make such consequential or transitional provision as appears to the Lord Chancellor to be necessary or expedient in connection with the abolition of that office, including the amendment or repeal of any statutory provision relating to that office or to existing or past holders of it.

(7) Any order under subsection (6) shall be made by statutory instrument, which shall be laid before Parliament after being made.

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