HC Deb 21 March 1907 vol 171 cc839-40
MR. CAVE (Surrey, Kingston)

To ask the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the fact that, in consequence of both divisions of the Court of Appeal (England) having been engaged during the current sitting in hearing appeals from the King's Bench and Probate Divisions, there is now a serious accumulation of appeals from the Chancery Division; and whether it is proposed that, apart from the Judicature Bill, which appears likely to meet with considerable opposition, any steps shall be taken to reduce these arrears at an early date.

(Answered by Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman.) The Lord Chancellor informs me that it is not practicable to reduce these appeals more rapidly unless the Judicature Bill be passed and that is the principal reason for desiring that it should he passed. The Court of Appeal is obliged to arrange the cases which it hears with some regard to the comparative arrears from the different divisions.