LORD BROUGHAMpresented a Bill to improve the Administration of Bankruptcy and Insolvency in Scotland. His Lordship said, the present measure had for its object the assimilation of the bankruptcy and insolvency law of Scotland, in certain important respects, to the bankruptcy and insolvency law of England, but in other respects leaving a difference between the two systems. The Bill was, to a great extent, the same as one which was introduced into their Lordships' House last year. He was happy to say that it had met with general approval in Scotland among all the mercantile classes, including not only the general traders, but also the retail dealers, in that part of the kingdom. After the fullest consideration, not only of the principles of the measure, but of its details, he was now able to represent to their Lordships that the Bill had the sanction of all classes, both in England and Scotland, who were interested in the question, subject to such alterations as it might be expedient to adopt arising out of certain valuable suggestions, the result of discussion in the last long vacation; and he presented the Bill now as it was presented and read a second time last year, only asking their Lordships to follow their usual course, and give it a first reading; and when it came on for a second reading, he should make such observations as he thought desirable, with the view to its being, at all events, referred to a Select Committee.
§ Bill read 1a.