Speaker's lectures: Great Offices of State

Full coverage of the Speaker's lecture series about key roles in government aside from the prime minister - the chancellor of the exchequer, the foreign secretary and the home secretary.

Margaret Beckett: 11 September 2012

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The former foreign secretary spoke about the role of ministers and their relationship with Parliament

Margaret Beckett, who was first elected as an MP in 1974, served as foreign secretary between 2006-7.

Jack Straw: 16 July 2012

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The former justice secretary on the relationship between ministers and Parliament

Jack Straw served as home secretary, foreign secretary and secretary of state for justice under the previous Labour government.

David Miliband: 19 June 2012

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David Miliband on the role of foreign secretary

Former foreign secretary David Miliband held the office between 2007 and 2010.

David Blunkett: 15 May 2012

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Former home secretary on the role of the Home Office

David Blunkett served as home secretary under the Blair government, between 2001 and 2004.

Sir Malcolm Rifkind: 24 April 2012

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Former foreign secretary on the role of the Foreign Office

Sir Malcolm served as foreign secretary under the Major government, between 1995 and 1997.

He was one of only four ministers to serve throughout the Thatcher and Major governments.

Theresa May: 27 March 2012

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Home secretary on the relationship between ministers, Parliament and the media

Theresa May said that waiting for announcements on policy matters in Parliament was "quite difficult" in the age of 24-hour news.

She said Parliament needed to operate in a slightly different way to enable ministers to get information to Parliament in the right way, but also out to the public in a better way.

Alistair Darling: 20 February 2012

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Former chancellor on the economic crisis

Mr Darling was Labour Chancellor between 2007 and 2010, under the premiership of Gordon Brown.

He focused on the economic crisis that deepened during his time at the Treasury, admitting that there had been an "assumption" among all parties that the UK's reliance on the financial services industry was a good thing that was likely to continue.

He also used the lecture to say that the government of which he had been a part didn't use the House of Commons enough, adding that it was a "mystery" to him why successive governments hadn't paid more attention to Parliament.

Kenneth Clarke: 24 January 2012

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Justice secretary delivers inaugural speech

Mr Clarke served as both Home Secretary and Chancellor during the Major governments of the 1990s.

He used the lecture to claim that there had been a "return to collective Cabinet government" following the general election of 2010.

Speaker's lectures: Great Offices of State: George Osborne, Alan Johnson and William Hague