Lord Clerk Register
The office of Lord Clerk Register is the oldest remaining Great Officer of State in Scotland, with origins in the 13th century. It historically had important functions in relation to the maintenance and care of the public records of Scotland. Today these duties are administered by the Keeper of the National Records of Scotland and the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland. When established originally in the 13th century, the office of Lord Clerk Register was mostly a clerical office role, but by the 15th century, the Clerk Register had become an officer of state with a seat in the Parliament of Scotland.
| Lord Clerk Register | |
|---|---|
Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom in Scotland | |
| Department of the Registers of Scotland Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service | |
| Nominator | The incumbent First Minister of Scotland |
| Appointer | Monarch on the recommendation by the First Minister |
| Formation | 1288, as Clerk of the Rolls of the Kings Chapel |
| First holder | William, Bishop of St Andrews |
| Salary | none |
| Website | Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service |
In their capacity as Keeper of the Signet, the Lord Clerk Register executes ceremonial functions as the senior officer of the Society of Writers to the Signet. Writers to the Signet historically had various privileges relating to the drawing up of documents which required to be signeted, however, these privileges have since become defunct, and the society is now an independent, non-regulatory association of solicitors of which are mostly based in Edinburgh, Scotland's capital city.