Mr. HERBERT (Buckinghamshire, Wycombe)To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will see to it that the next time the Estimates are prepared in such a form that a portion of the Lord Chancellor's salary proportionate to the relative importance of his duties as Chair-man of the House of Lords and of his 85 other duties is set down under separate heads.
(Answered by Mr. Asquith.) The Acts 14 and 15 Vic, c. 83, and 15 and 16 Vic., c. 87, fix his Lordship's salary from the Consolidated Fund at £10,000, less whatever sum may be assigned to him by the House of Lords as Speaker. Any remuneration which might be given him from Votes in respect of other functions would therefore, assuming him not to be debarred by law from receiving it, have the effect of increasing pro tanto his total emoluments. I do not see my way to proposing any alteration of the present arrangement, which is of long standing and could not be changed without legislation.