§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ LORD DUNEDINMy Lords, this is a purely disciplinary Bill to allow the law agents of Scotland to exclude from their fold such black sheep as from time to time appear in it. The Bill is really promoted by a joint committee representing the Society of Writers to the Signet, the Solicitors before the Supreme Court, the Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow, the Incorporated Society of Law Agents in Scotland, the Society of Advocates of Aberdeen and the Faculty of Procurators and Solicitors in Dundee, practically the whole of the profession dealt with in the Bill. It is really no more than an adaptation to Scotland of the Solicitors Act, 1919, of England. It 937 has the approval of the Scottish Office, and I have also subjected it to the scrutiny of the noble and learned Viscount opposite, the Leader of the Opposition, who also approves of it. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Lord Dunedin.)
§ VISCOUNT HALDANEMy Lords, it is right to look at all these Bills. I have looked at this one, and I think the case for it is overwhelming. It proposes to do simply what has been done in England for many years past and with excellent results. I have little doubt that the procedure will prove equally useful when introduced into Scotland.
LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGHMy Lords, may I say on behalf of the Scottish Office that they regard this Bill with sympathy, and, while there may possibly be at a later stage some more or less drafting Amendments which they wish to propose, they have no desire to impede the progress of the Bill?
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.