§ MR. FAWCETTSir, I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether it is true, as reported in the public journals, that certain new arrangements have been made in reference to the remuneration of the Law Officers of the Crown; whether, if it has been correctly stated that they are in future to be paid by fixed salaries, he will inform the House from what fund the salaries are to be provided, and to what purpose the fees they have previously received will be devoted; and, whether the Government either has attempted or will attempt to introduce any changes into the present system, under which it is possible for the Law Officers of the Crown to 654 devote nearly the whole of their time to private practice?
MR. GLADSTONESir, I cannot pretend to enter into sufficient detail to give a satisfactory answer to the first two branches of the Question of the hon. Member for Brighton, but they will be found set forth in the Minutes of the Treasury about to be presented to the House. The new arrangement, moreover, will involve the salaries being voted annually in the Estimates. The House will be asked to vote the salary of the Solicitor General for Ireland for the present year. It is true that the new arrangement has been made, and it will result in a saving to the public; and with regard to the last part of the Question, the Government have not made, nor have they attempted to make, any change in the present system with regard to the private business of the Gentlemen referred to.