19 FEBRUARY 1994, Page 24

Sir: I find it surprising that Paul Johnson should write:

'No Catholic, for instance, may hold the office of Lord Chancellor.' He has evidently overlooked the Lord Chancellor (Tenure of Office and Dis- charge of Ecclesiastical Functions) Act 1974 (Statutes at Large, 1974, Pt.I, p.369).

I introduced it into Parliament as a pri- vate peer on my resignation as Lord Chan- cellor after the 1974 General Election.

It passed with practically no opposition.

Hailsham of St Marylebone

House of Lords, London SW1