§ MR. C. E. TRITTON (Lambeth, Norwood)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether an order by the Presidents of the Divisions of the High Court carrying out the recommendations of the Commission on the Law Offices, presided over by the present Home Secretary, which he stated on the 9th April, 1897, would shortly be issued, has been issued; and, if not, what is the cause of the delay?
§ MR. HANBURYThe order referred to, which was intended to be issued last year, has not, in fact, been issued on account of legal difficulties which have since been pointed out. The Ridley Commission, of course, did not refer to the Legal Departments, nor take any evidence respecting them.
§ MR. TRITTONDo I understand the delay is due to the legal difficulty?
§ MR. HANBURYYes, I think some legal difficulty has arisen as to the power to make such an order.