Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

See Current Model House of CommonsThe Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is a ministerial office in the Government, that includes as part of its duties the administration of the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster. Additionally, the current Chancellor is responsible for overseeing the UK's withdrawal from the European Union.

The Chancellor also has responsibility for advising the Leader of the House on policy development and implementation.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is appointed by the the Leader of the House.

The Chancellor is answerable to Parliament for the governance of the Duchy. However, the involvement of the Chancellor in the running of the day-to-day affairs of the Duchy is slight, and the office is held by a senior politician whose main role is usually quite different. Charlotte Pettitt is the incumbent since 9th February 2020

History
Originally, the Chancellor was the chief officer in the daily management of the Duchy of Lancaster and the County Palatine of Lancaster (a county palatine merged into the Crown in 1399), but that estate is now run by a deputy, leaving the Chancellor as a member of the Cabinet with little obligation in regard to the Chancellorship. The position has often been given to a Cabinet minister with responsibilities in a particular area of policy for which there is no department with an appropriate portfolio.

Modern times
The holder of the sinecure is a minister without portfolio; Oswald Mosley, for example, focused on unemployment after being appointed to the position in 1929 during the second MacDonald ministry.

Responsibilities
In addition to administering the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Chancellor is also a member of the cabinet and advises the Prime Minister on the development and implementation of government policy. In addition, the Chancellor is presently responsible for:
 * Implementing government business
 * Overseeing the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union, and constitutional affairs
 * Providing oversight to all Cabinet Office policies