§ SIR HENRY JAMES (Bury, Lancashire)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the accumulations of the Suitors' Fund in the Chancery Court of Lancashire amount to £130,000; and if the Government will consider the advisability of devoting such accumulations or part thereof to providing a better system of administration of justice in Lancashire?
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER (Mr. BEYCE,) Aberdeen, S.The amount of the accumulations of the Suitors' Fee Fund will be found in the Return very recently presented to Parliament at the instance of the hon. and learned Member for Harrow. At the end of last year it was (as in that Return mentioned) £12,400 in India Three and a Half per Cents, and £127,558 11s. 5d. in New Consols. This accumulation belongs in right of Her Duchy and County Palatine to Her Majesty, who was pleased in 1876 to direct, by order, its appropriation to the ex elusive use and purposes of the 52 Chancery Court of the County Palatine. Owing to considerable reductions in the scale of fees and to other causes, the increase of the surplus has in recent years been comparatively slow; and if further modifications in favour of the suitors, which have been suggested, are carried out, the whole income of the fund will not, having regard to various contingencies, be more than sufficient to provide for the expenses of maintaining the Court in efficient working. I should be very glad to do anything coming within the scope of my office to promote a better system of administering justice in Lancashire, but do not think that this particular fund can be diverted from the Lancashire Chancery Court.