§ MR. PICTON (Leicester)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether the Supreme Judicature Act, 1875, section 31, abolished the work as well as the office of Secretary to the Board of Visitors of Chancery Lunatics; and, if not, how has the work been done since the Act was passed; whether the whole responsibility for the work in the Office of the Board, including important and voluminous correspondence with the three Visitors, with the Secretaries of the Lord Chancellor, with the Secretary of the Lords Justices, the Masters in Lunacy, the Commissioners in Lunacy, 1780 the committees, solicitors, and relatives of the Chancery lunatics, as well as with the patients themselves in their lucid intervals, is dependent on a first clerk; and, whether there is any other case in which such responsibilities are placed on a first clerk, without statutory recognition?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)No, Sir; the Act in question did not abolish the work of this Office. It only abolished the Secretary. The work referred to is now done by the head clerk. The Royal Commissioners who inquired into the Office in 1874 do not agree with the hon. Member in his description of the work in the Office. They recommended the abolition of the Office of Secretary, and saw no difficulty in the discharge of his duty by the first clerk. The head clerk, as far as I am aware, has the same recognition as, and not greater responsibilities than, other head clerks in the Public Service.