How much does he earn?: No 21: Dr John Burton, coroner for West London

No 21: Dr John Burton, coroner for West London, coroner of the Queen's Household. One of 150 holders of the ancient office of coroner, which has its 800th anniversary this month.

Age: 64.

Salary: pounds 43,377, plus 5.5 per cent pension supplement.

Perks: Has a coroner's officer. No longer has to raise funds for the ransom of Richard the Lionheart, like his predecessors of 1194. Time off for duties as president of the Coroners' Society. Gets to decide whether or not metal detecting enthusiasts can keep the buried treasure they find.

Home: A house in Richmond, Surrey.

Education: University College Hospital medical school, London; Royal College of Surgeons, London; College of Law, London.

Family: Married with one son and one daughter.

Hobbies: Dinghy sailing, steam engines.

(Photograph omitted)