§ MR. BRIGHTsaid, he had a question to put to the noble Lord at the head of the Government, which the noble Lord might either answer now or on some early day, if more convenient, as he had not given him any previous notice of it. It was with reference to the vacancy which had just occurred on the Scotch Judicial Bench. The noble Lord was aware, no doubt, that the Committee on Official Salaries, last year, made rather a strong recommendation that the number of Judges on the Scotch Bench should be reduced. He wished to know whether, now that another vacancy had occurred, the noble Lord intended to pay any attention to the recommendation of the Committee.
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLcould only state, at present, that when he held the office of Homo Secretary a vacancy occurred on the Scotch Bench, and he then moved for the appointment of a Committee to consider whether it was possible to make a reduction in the number of Judges. As far as he recollected, the Committee were unanimously of opinion that no re- 780 duction should be made. Certainly the Committee of last year came to a different opinion; but it was difficult to refer to the evidence upon which that opinion was founded. He made inquiries afterwards of persons very competent to give an opinion on the subject, on the occasion of the last appointment, and they were certainly all adverse to any reduction in the number of the Judges.