§ SIR T. GIBSON-CARMICHAEL (Edinburgh, Midlothian)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been drawn to the dissatisfaction felt in many parts of Scotland at the fact that certain Chairmen of Parish Councils, who have on former occasions qualified as Justices of the Peace, have been required on re-election to their office to again take oaths and again pay fees before again acting as Justices of the Peace; whether he is aware that Chairmen of District Councils in England in an analogous position are, under Statutes 59 and 60 Vict. c. 22, enabled to continue to act as Justices of the Peace without again taking the oath; and whether Her Majesty's Government would be willing to give facilities for legislation to remove this source of dissatisfaction?
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATEMy attention has been drawn to the anomaly to which the hon. Member refers, and which an Act of last Session remedied for Chairmen of District Councils in England. Facilities for legislation will be given when possible, but I fear I can give no undertaking for the present Session.