HC Deb 05 June 1893 vol 13 cc185-6
MR. POWELL WILLIAMS (Birmingham, S.)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury what amount, in addition to salary, is payable to the Attorney General on his brief in the case of the Behring Sea Arbitration now proceeding at Paris; what additional amount he receives daily as a "refresher," or otherwise; and whether the latter sum is paid when the Arbitration Court does not sit or the Attorney General does not appear in Court?

MR. CARVILL (Newry)

At the same time, I will ask the right hon. Gentleman what amount is payable to the Attorney General of the late Government on his brief in the case of the Behring Sea Arbitration now proceeding at Paris; what additional amount he receives daily as a "refresher" or otherwise, and whether the latter sum is paid when the Arbitration Court does not sit, or the hon. and learned Member does not appear in Court; and what is the sum total of the fees in this case under the late and under the present Government?

* THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir J. T. HIBBERT,) Oldham

The Attorney General and the late Attorney General have each received an inclusive fee, for six weeks' attendance in Paris, of 2,000 guineas. The Solicitor to the Treasury has been instructed to arrange for the payment to both hon. and learned Gentlemen of reasonable fees for further attendance beyond the period of six weeks; but the exact amounts have not yet been submitted to the Treasury for approval. The fees paid by the Treasury Solicitor to the late Attorney General in the case up to December 31, 1892, amounted to a total of £1,055 6s., and there are some further fees not yet settled up to the time when the arrangement was made for the payment of the lump sum for six weeks' attendance.

MR. POWELL WILLIAMS

Will the right hon. Gentleman state the amount of the "refreshers" paid to the Attorney General? Will he also kindly say whether the hon. and learned Member for the Isle of Wight receives a salary of £7,000 a year for attending to public business?

* SIR J. T. HIBBERT

This is contentious business outside the salary, and would have been deemed so whatever Government was in Office. With respect to daily "refreshers," I should explain that no such fees are payable during the period of six weeks, as the 2,000 guineas is inclusive.

MR. POWELL WILLIAMS

In consequence of the unsatisfactory reply of the right hon. Gentleman I shall call attention to the subject on the Estimates.