Solicitor General
Responsibilities
The Solicitor General supports the Attorney across the range of her responsibilities. This includes:
- Deputising for the Attorney General and responsible for such matters as the Attorney General delegates to him
- Providing support to the Attorney General in his superintendence of the Government Legal Department, the Crown Prosecution Service, HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and the Serious Fraud Office
- Providing support to the Attorney General on civil litigation and advice on civil law matters and on the public interest function
Current role holder
Robert Courts KC MP
Robert Courts was appointed Solicitor General on 7 December 2023.
He was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport between 8 September 2020 and 20 September 2022. He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Witney and West Oxfordshire in October 2016.
Political career
Robert was previously Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Secretary of State for Transport, having served as a PPS in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs prior to that. He served on the International Trade Select Committee before becoming a minister, having previously been a member of the Transport, Justice and Backbench Business Committees.
Career outside politics
Before his election to Parliament, Robert was a self-employed barrister. His practice focused primarily on personal injury and clinical negligence. He also served as a district councillor.
Education
Robert read law at the University of Sheffield.
Personal life
Robert is married with 2 children.
Previous holders of this role
-
The Rt Hon Michael Tomlinson KC MP
2022 to 2023
-
Edward Timpson CBE KC MP
2022 to 2022
-
The Rt Hon Alex Chalk KC MP
2021 to 2022
-
The Rt Hon Michael Ellis KC MP
2021 to 2021
-
The Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC MP
2021 to 2021
-
The Rt Hon Michael Ellis KC MP
2019 to 2021
-
The Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC MP
2019 to 2019
-
The Rt Hon Robert Buckland KC MP
2014 to 2019
-
The Rt Hon Sir Oliver Heald KC MP
2012 to 2014
-
Sir Edward Garnier KC
2010 to 2012