§ MR. M'LARENasked the Lord Advocate, Whether Her Majesty's Government intend to avail themselves of the present vacancy in the office of one of the Lunacy Commissioners in Scotland to reduce the cost of that department by abolishing the office, or otherwise, as referred to in the Report of the Commission on Civil Departments (Scotland), 1870, following on the evidence to that effect of the Lord Justice Clerk and other parties?
THE LORD ADVOCATESir, I believe it will be found absolutely necessary to fill up the present vacancy in one of the Chief Commissionerships. The Report referring to this question 927 makes no recommendation upon this subject, but contains a statement made by the Lord Advocate Moncreiff to the effect that it was his intention to abolish the office; but I may remind the hon. Member that after that Report was given in, a vacancy occurred in one of these Commissionerships, and the then Home Secretary (Mr. Bruce), with the advice of the Lord Advocate (Mr. Young), resolved to fill up the vacancy, and did so. That was challenged, I believe, by the hon. Member, but the Home Secretary said it was absolutely necessary for the administration of the Lunacy Laws, and, I believe, the duties attendant on the administration of these laws are more onerous at the present day than they were in July 1870.