MR. FRASER-MACKIXTOSH (Inverness-shire)asked the Lord Advocate, Whether he is aware that, there is no separate account kept of the Revenue and Expenditure of the Sasine Office, Edinburgh; if he will state from what source did the Crown Agent for Scotland prepare the Return of Revenue and Expenditure of the Sasine Office, presented to Parliament in August, 1877, and are the same means still in existence; if they are, will he cause the Return of 1877 to be brought down to 1886–7; and, what means he possesses of ascertaining that the fees drawn are not greater than may reasonably be held sufficient for defraying the expenses of the Department, as provided for by Section 25 of "The Laud Register (Scotland) Act, 1868?"
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. JACKSON) (Leeds, N.)(who replied) said: Separate sub-heads of Votes and accounts for each of the several offices of the Register House have been discontinued since 1882.3, in accordance with the Report of a Departmental Committee on the Register House. The Return presented in 1877 of the Crown Agent was prepared by the Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer from information received partly from other Departments and partly through the books of his own Department, which then contained separate accounts for the Sasine Office. I am informed that, though the separate accounts are no longer kept, yet from memoranda as to the amount of stamps cancelled in each Department, a similar Return brought down to 1886–7 can be prepared with approximate accuracy; and if the hon. Member will move for it after the 31st instant, there will be no objection on the part of the Government to giving it. The Treasury believe that the fees 1321 are not more than sufficient to cover the whole cost of the Department.