Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):

If he will list the (a) ad hoc and (b) standing committees of the Privy Council, indicating in each case their membership.

John Reid:

The only current ad hoc Committee is one established to consider a petition of the Royal Town Planning Institute for the grant of a Supplemental Charter. Its members are the President of the Council, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and the Attorney General.

The standing committees of the Privy Council and their members are:-

The Judicial Committee

The membership consists of the Lord Chancellor, the President of the Council, former holders of those offices and Privy Counsellors who are or have been Lords of Appeal in Ordinary or who hold or have held high judicial office in the United Kingdom or in certain Commonwealth countries.  A person ceases to be a member of the Judicial Committee on attaining the age of 75 unless he or she is the Lord Chancellor.

The Scottish Universities Committee

The President of the Council, The First Minister, Lord Justice General, Lord Justice Clerk and Lord Advocate (if Privy Counsellors), a member of the Judicial Committee and any other Privy Counsellors who may be appointed.  The quorum is three, one of whom must be a member of the Judicial Committee or a Senator of the College of Justice in Scotland.

The Committee for the Affairs of Jersey and Guernsey

The President of the Council
The Lord Chancellor
The Rt. Hon. Baroness Scotland of Asthal

The Honours Scrutiny Committee (formerly The Political Honours Scrutiny Committee)

The Rt Hon Lord Thomson of Monifieth
The Rt Hon Lord Hurd of Westwell
The Rt Hon Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde

The Crown Office Act 1877 Committee

The Lord Chancellor
The Lord Privy Seal
A Secretary of State

The Universities Committee (dormant)

The President of the Council
The Archbishop of Canterbury
The Lord Chancellor
The Chancellor of the University of Oxford
The Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
Up to two other members of the Privy Council, at least one of whom should be a member of the Judicial Committee.

The Baronetage Committee

President of the Council
Lord Chancellor (as successor to the Home Secretary)
The Earl Marshal
The Lord Chamberlain