§ MR. WATTI beg to ask the Lord Advocate if he will say how many solicitors have been appointed in Scotland to the positions of sheriff-substitutes; daring how many years has it been open to solicitors to be so appointed; and whether in view of the facts that solicitors are drawn from all classes of society and are many in number, whereas advocates are drawn from the wealthy classes and are few in number, he will in future appointments give preference to the solicitor's branch of the profession.
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. THOMAS SHAW,) Hawick, BurghsAs the office of sheriff-substitute has been open to all branches of the legal profession since the year 1825, when a legal qualification was first required and appointments to the office were for over fifty years made by the sheriffs-depute, I cannot give my hon. friend the information he desires in the first part of the Question. As regards the latter part I do not think 1684 it would be in the interests of the public service to discriminate between branches of the legal profession in the sense suggested by my hon. friend.
§ MR. WATTHas the right hon. Gentleman appointed any solicitors to these posts since he has been in office, and will he in future see that the solicitors, who constitute the larger branch of the service, get their proper share?
§ MR. THOMAS SHAWThe Answer to the next Question covers that, I think.
§ MR. PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate if he can say how many appointments to the office of sheriff-substitute have been made since the nominations to such office rested with him; and if he will give the names and callings of those so appointed and the places of appointment.
§ MR. THOMAS SHAWIn the period referred to there have been six such appointments. Of those appointed one was an advocate and King's Counsel, the other five were advocates. If my hon. friend desires it I shall be glad to furnish him with a list of the names of the gentlemen appointed, the dates of appointment and the sheriff-substituteships referred to.