Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will undertake a review of the (a) role and (b) functions of the second executor in relation to wills.

Individuals may appoint one or more executors of their choice in their wills. The appointments may include “second executors” whose appointments are conditional (for example, where an appointment is only to take effect on the happening of an event) or substituted (for example, where one executor is to be substituted for another upon the happening of an event). The Government is not aware of concerns about the role or functions of “second executors” in relation to wills and does not have any plans to review this area of the law.