§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War by whom at the present time is the office of Judge Advocate-General, to whose holder appertains the duty of revising the decisions of Courts-martial, whose number average annually 17,000, filled; whether it is still the duty of the Judge Advocate- General in all serious cases to present the proceedings of Courts-martial to the Sovereign in person and to advise on the sentence; and, if that duty has been abrogated or modified, 1395 when and under what circumstances did the abrogation or modification take place, and what were the reasons for the change.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERPending the vacancy in the office of the Judge Advocate-General the business is carried on by the Deputy Judge Advocate-General. It is not the duty of the Judge Advocate-General to present the proceedings of any Court-martial to the Sovereign in person, but it is his duty in such cases as require confirmation by the King to tender to the King in person his opinion as to the legality of the proceedings, in which the legality of the sentence is included. This duty has not been in any way abrogated or modified. The question whether any modification should be made in the position and functions of the Judge Advocate-General is under consideration.