Counsel 

The PCO is headed by the First Parliamentary Counsel, Sir Geoffrey Bowman KCB. He is assisted by a Chief Executive – John Gilhooly – whose role is to run the non-drafting side of the PCO and to support the First Parliamentary Counsel on various policy issues. 

There are currently 61 Counsel at the PCO, five of whom are at the Law Commission and six at the Inland Revenue Tax Law Rewrite Project. 

Currently there are :– 

For a full list of the Counsel, click Full List. 

Teams

Counsel typically work in teams of two or three, with a senior member of the Office (Parliamentary Counsel or Deputy Parliamentary Counsel) assisted by one or two junior Counsel.

For a list of the teams for the 2004/2005 session, click Teams 2004/2005. This also shows which teams are located at the PCO's main office at 36 Whitehall and which are located at its smaller office at 53 Parliament Street.

Allocation of drafting resources

On 9 March 2000, the then President of the Council (the Rt. Hon. Margaret Beckett MP) gave a written answer to a Parliamentary Question asked by Mr David Kidney MP concerning the allocation of the PCO's drafting resources. 

To see the question and reply, click Parliamentary Question and Answer. 

Support Staff

Counsel at 36 Whitehall are assisted by around 25 support staff, headed up by the Chief Executive, John Gilhooly.

For a list of these staff, click Support Staff.