MR. MACKINTOSHasked the Lord Advocate, If his attention has been directed to the number of uncertificated legal practitioners in Glasgow and other towns in Scotland, and whether he will give orders to have the laws as to admission and annual licence enforced?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. WATSON)Sir, I have a good deal of information to the same effect as that contained in the Question of the hon. Member. If I were simply to reply to the Question in the affirmative, it might be misleading. According to the law of Scotland, no man is entitled to practise as an agent in any Court unless he is possessed of certain qualifications, and those who practise without these qualifications render themselves liable to penalties. Then, as to persons practising as conveyancers, they are required to take licences, or they render themselves liable to heavy penalties. Whenever infractions of the law in either of these respects have been brought to my attention, I have always directed a prosecution to be instituted. There is, however, a third class, regarding whom my information is that, not professing to be lawyers, they at the same time profess to give legal advice on very moderate terms. As the law of Scotland at present stands, no penalty is incurred by those so acting unless they are guilty of misrepresenting their own character or position.