§ MR. WATTI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the system of paying sheriff clerks in Scotland is to hand over to them a lump sum from which the sheriff clerks pay their staffs; that no cognisance is taken by the Treasury of how much is paid to sheriff clerk-deputes or to clerks serving under them; that the distribution of this money might often be inequitable without the Treasury becoming aware of it; and, if so, whether he will see the advisability of having the staffs of all the sheriff clerks in Scotland directly associated with the Treasury, with their salaries paid thence, or otherwise that 1468 the Treasury take cognisance of the manner in which the lump sums are distributed, so that me it and length of service may always be recognised with fairness.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. HOBHOUSE,) Bristol, E.Sheriff clerks in Scotland receive, as a rule, in addition to fixed salaries, lump sum allowances for payment of deputes and clerks, but in some cases the salaries also include allowances. The Treasury do not ordinarily take cognisance of the distribution of an allowance, unless a question arises of the necessity for varying the total amount, but receipts for amounts paid to deputes and clerks are furnished to the King's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer as well as to the Comptroller and Auditor-General. A system of this kind is common to several branches of the public service, and I see no reason for altering the present arrangements.