§ MR. J. E. ELLIS (Nottingham, Rushcliffe)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether it is the practice for Her Majesty's Judges in Great Britain to attend meetings of the Privy Council; and, if not, whether he will state the reason for the attendance of Her Majesty's Judges in Ireland at the meetings of the Privy Council in Dublin?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)The hon. Member is probably not aware that the Privy Council in England meets exceedingly rarely. In Ireland the functions of the Privy Council are confined to advising the Lord Lieutenant on matters on which His Excellency is entitled to, and requires, their advice, which are, in fact, questions for judicial decision. Judges who are Members of the Privy Council are entitled to attend; but they take no part in administrative or political business.
§ MR. J. E. ELLISThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered my Question, whether in this country it is customary for the Judges to attend the Privy Council?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHWhenever the Privy Council is summoned as a Council, Judges who are Members attend.
§ MR. MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)asked, whether it was the duty of the Privy Council, as a Privy Council, to solicit personal interviews with the Lord Lieutenant on any matter of State, and to inform and advise the Lord Lieutenant, if necessary, to institute a prosecution; and, whether the Attorney General for Ireland was invariably a Member of the Privy Council; whereas the Attorney General for England was not invariably a Member?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHThe hon. Gentleman has asked me a series of Questions, and I must ask Notice of them.
§ MR. MACNEILLCertainly.