HC Deb 25 July 1899 vol 75 cc245-6
MR. BROADHURST (Leicester)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been called to Table XXXII. of the Judicial Statistics for 1897, Part II., which sets out the number of days on which the Judges of the Queen's Bench Divisions at during the year; whether he is aware that no return is given for the other judges; and whether, before submitting a resolution for the appointment of a new judge, he will lay before the House a complete return in the same form as Table XXXII., as to the sittings of all the judges of the Supreme Court and of the Judicial Members of the House of Lords and the Privy Council.

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.

This table was introduced by the Committee which revised the Civil Service Statistics some years ago. I am advised that there is great difficulty in ascertaining the sittings of the several judges of the Supreme Court during the year, but I am in communication with the Lord Chief Justice on the subject. It is proposed to substitute for Table XXXII. in the Judicial Statistics for 1897 a table showing the total number of days on which the Courts of the several divisions sat. The number of days on which each Chancery judge sat will be found in the Judicial Statistics, Table XV.

MR. COGHILL (Stoke-upon-Trent)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the proposal of the Government to appoint a new Judge, he is aware that on the South Wales Circuit the only work, from 7th July to 20th July, that could be found for the learned Judge of Assize was the releasing a little boy on his own recognisances; and whether one of the judges of the Queen's Bench Division could be transferred permanently to the Chancery Division.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I have no information as to the facts mentioned in the first part of the question. I am informed that under the working of the circuit system there is occasional waste of judicial time, which it is almost impossible to avoid. With regard to the suggestion that one of the judges of the Queen's Bench Division should be transferred permanently to the Chancery Division, I am told that it is inexpedient and, indeed, impracticable to diminish the existing strength of the Queen's Bench Division.