HC Deb 05 December 1922 vol 159 cc1509-10
70. Commander BELLAIRS

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the names of the ex-Lord Chancellors who are now in receipt of £5,000 per annum; and what are the shortest and longest spans of service as Lord Chancellor?

Mr. BALDWIN

The following ex-Lord Chancellors are in receipt of annuities of £5,000, the periods of their service as Lord Chancellor being as stated in each case:—

Right Hon. Earl Loreburn, G.C.M.G., 11th December, 1905, to 10th June, 1912.

Right Hon. Viscount Haldane of Cloan. K.T., O.M., 11th June, 1912, to 26th May, 1915.

Right Hon. Lord Buckmaster, 27th May, 1915, to 10th December, 1916.

Right Hon. the Earl of Birkenhead, 14th January, 1919, to 24th October, 1922.

Each of these ex-Lord Chancellors, except Lord Loreburn, does regular work as a judicial member of the House of Lords and as a member of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

Commander BELLAIRS

Is it the case that if a man or woman accepts the Office of Lord Chancellor he or she gets a pension of £5,000, however short the tenure of office?

Mr. BALDWIN

That is so, but they take on judicial work.

Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHY

Was the Earl of Birkenhead invited to take the Office of Lord Chancellor in this Government so as to save, at any rate, this pension?

Mr. LANSBURY

Will the Chancellor of the Exchequer tell the House the salary of these gentlemen and the amount of time occupied by their service on the Privy Council and other bodies?

Mr. BALDWIN

The salary is £10,000, and as to time they are pretty continuously occupied, I should think.

Mr. LANSBURY

Is there no recess for the House of Lords?

Sir H. CRAIK

Is there not one ex-Lord Chancellor who is not drawing the pension?

Mr. BALDWIN

That is true.

Mr. MACPHERSON

Did not Lord Loreburn hand back £2,500?

Mr. BALDWIN

I am not aware of that, but as Lord Loreburn's name has been mentioned, I should like to say that he did judicial work until he reached a considerable age, after his retirement on pension. He is now 75 years of age, and it is only three or four years since he retired.

Mr. SHINWELL

In fixing the pensions, is account taken of the capacity to earn their own livelihood, as in the case of old age pensioners?

Mr. BALDWIN

I do not know if the hon. Member is aware that anyone who has sat on the Woolsack in recent years might have earned twice or three times the salary by private practice.

Mr. SHINWELL

Then why do they re quire a pension of £5,000 per annum?