The 76-year-old, who penned the report urging the MoJ to increase legal aid spending, can now sit in the House of Lords to represent the government on justice policies and replaces David Wolfson QC.
Lord Wolfson of Tredegar resigned as a minister last April after fixed penalties were issued regarding ‘partygate’.
Bellamy is now believed to be the oldest minister in the government.
He recently led the government-commissioned review into criminal legal aid which concluded in December 2021 that the sector needed a minimum of £135m every year to reverse what he described as ‘years of neglect’.
The government responded in March this year to pledge an extra £135m into criminal legal aid – but only after a 12-week consultation had concluded (it closes today).