§ MR. HEYGATEasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether it is intended to carry into effect the recommendations for the immediate abolition of the Patent Bill Office, the Great Seal Patent Office, and the Petty Bag Office, made by the Treasury Committee, August 14, 1867, and repeated by the Legal Departments Committee, July 31, 1874?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHSince the recommendations referred to were made, the operation of the Judicature Act has greatly increased the duties of one of the offices mentioned — namely, the Petty Bag Office, and I do not think it would be possible now to abolish it. With regard to the other two—the Patent Bill Office and the Great Seal Patent Office—the Treasury will not lose sight of the recommendations of the Committee of 1867 and the Commission of 1874; but it has been thought better to wait for a favourable opportunity of dealing with them, such as the occurrence of a vacancy, rather than to proceed to the immediate abolition of them, which would involve claims for compensation.