Edward Faulks, Baron Faulks
| The Right Honourable The Lord Faulks QC | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister of State for Civil Justice and Legal Policy | |
|
In office 20 January 2014 – 19 July 2016 | |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edward Peter Lawless Faulks 19 August 1950 |
| Nationality | English |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Catherine Frances Turner |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Barrister |
Edward Peter Lawless Faulks, Baron Faulks QC (born 19 August 1950), is an English barrister and Queen's Counsel. He is a Conservative peer and was Minister of State for Justice between December 2013 and July 2016.
Background and education
Faulks is the son of His Honour Peter Ronald Faulks MC and Pamela Faulks (née Lawless). The novelist Sebastian Faulks is his younger brother. He was educated at Wellington College and Jesus College, Oxford, where he graduated with an MA. He was called to the Bar, Middle Temple, in 1973.
Career
Faulks became a Queen's Counsel in 1996 and a Recorder in 2000. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He became a bencher in 2002. He was a Literary Agent, for Curtis Brown, from 1980–81. He was an Assistant Recorder, 1996–2000. He was Chairman of the Professional Negligence Bar Association 2002–04 and Special Advisor to the Department for Constitutional Affairs on compensation culture, 2005–06. In 2010 he was created a life peer as Baron Faulks, of Donnington in the Royal County of Berkshire.[1]
In December 2013 it was announced that with effect from 20 January 2014 Faulks would become a Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice.[2] He served in this role until July 2016 when he resigned from the government voicing concerns about the appointment of a non lawyer, Liz Truss, as Secretary of State for Justice by new prime minister Theresa May.[3]
Controversy
- On 10 June 2015, Faulks questioned in the House of Lords "whether it is always necessary for everybody who has quite real problems to have a lawyer at £200-odd an hour, or whether there are better and more effective ways of giving advice".[4] The fact-checking web-site FullFact.org investigated and concluded that the claim was untrue - only in exceptionally rare circumstances do lawyers command such charges, with £50-£70 per hour being a routine fee.[5]
Other activities
Faulks is a contributing editor to Local Authority Liabilities, 1998, 4th edition 2009.
Personal life
Lord Faulks married Catherine Frances Turner, daughter of Lindsay Turner and Anthea Cadbury, in 1990. They have two sons. Lady Faulks is an elected member of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.[6]
References
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 59497. p. 14201. 26 July 2010.
- ↑ "Ministerial changes: December 2013". 18 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ↑ Gibb, Frances (19 July 2016). "Justice minister quits with blast at 'novice' lord chancellor". The Times. Retrieved 19 July 2016. (subscription required (help)).
- ↑ "Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012", Lords Hansard, 10 June 2015
- ↑ "Legal aid lawyers aren't on £200 an hour". FullFact.org. 6 July 2015.
- ↑ "Lord Feldman's failure to vote leaves Faulks furious". Daily Telegraph.