§ MR. HERBERT LEWISI beg to ask the Attorney General whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that a Judge of the Court of Appeal has delivered judgment to the effect that if a Judge were to strike a man in the face, or slay him in Court, the Judge could claim immunity in respect of such action as being a judicial act; and whether the Government propose to take steps to alter the law in this respect?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL (Sir ROBERT FINLAY,) Inverness BurghsSo far as I can ascertain, no Judgment such as is referred to in the Question has ever been delivered. The Question appears to be based on a misconception as to certain observations which are alleged to have been made in the course of the argument of a recent case. These observations do not appear in the authorised Reports, and I have had no means of verifying their accuracy. In any case, they form no part of the Judgment of the Court. As no such Judgment has been delivered it is unnecessary to take steps to alter the law in this respect.
§ *MR. OSWALDMay I ask the Solicitor General whether he has referred to the shorthand writers' notes of the Judgment of the learned Judge in question, because it is well known—
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!
§ *MR. OSWALDMay I ask if my hon. and learned Friend has referred to the shorthand notes?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERALI have no access to the shorthand notes.