DR. FARQUHARSON (Aberdeenshire, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that certain magistrates and coroners have refused to allow the adoption of the statutory usage of administering the Oath in Courts of Law with uplifted hand, in the form and manner in which the Oath is usually administered in Scotland; whether he will direct that the provisions of Section 5 of the Oaths Act of 1888 shall be universally observed; and whether he will issue a Circular or make an official statement on the subject in order that individuals claiming their legal rights may not be put to serious inconvenience?
§ MR. ASQUITHBy an unfortunate omission the Oaths Act of 1888 does not define the form and manner in which the Oath is usually administered in Scotland, and it is possible that some magistrates and coroners are not acquainted with the Scotch procedure. I am about to issue a Circular containing the necessary information, and it will be sent to all Justices' clerks and coroners.