§ SIR D. CURRIE (Perthshire, W.)I wish to put a question to the Lord. Advocate of which I have given him private notice. I wish to know if the Government see their way to extend the Service Franchise in the case of Parliamentary Elections to the County Council Elections under the Local Government Bill for Scotland?
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. P. B. ROBERTSON,) ButeAfter careful inquiry and consideration, the Government have determined to propose that Service Franchise occupiers shall be entitled to be County Council electors without the necessity of making any claim for that purpose. It appears that the practice is common, if not general, that a deduction is made from the wages of miners and such workmen in the name of rent, the rent being calculated to cover rates. That being so, it has appeared to the Government that we shall be justified in proposing to give the new franchise without special rating in the case of Service Franchise occupiers; but it will also be proper to provide that if an employer pays the rate, but does not deduct it from the wages, he shall be entitled to recover the rate from the employé.