Service Description: The Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight is Major General Martin White CB CBE JP. The Lord-Lieutenant is an honorary office appointed by Her Majesty The Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister. He is the permanent representative of the Crown on the Isle of Wight. The post is non-political and unpaid.
Answer: The office is military in origin and dates from the reign of Henry VIII when the Lord-Lieutenant was charged with raising militia for local defence. This traditional link with the services remains, although many Lord-Lieutenants are not from a service background and the role has evolved to meet the demands of the 21st century. However, here on the Isle of Wight there are still strong links to the Territorial Army, cadet forces and other uniformed voluntary bodies such as St John Ambulance. From earliest days the Lord-Lieutenant has also been closely associated with the magistracy and today the Lord-Lieutenant is an honorary magistrate and maintains links to the judiciary as Keeper of the Rolls (formerly Custos Rotulorum). As chairman of the advisory committee on Justices of the Peace he is responsible for the recruitment and selection of magistrates.