HC Deb 22 February 1911 vol 21 cc1910-1
Mr. MacNEILL

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that, although the shorthand writer of the House of Commons or his deputy is, under the provisions of the Elections Petitions Act, 1868, Section 24, to attend and take down the evidence given at the trial of an election petition and from time to time to cause the evidence to be written at length, and a copy of such evidence is to accompany the certificate made to the Speaker by the judges, the evidence given at the trial and taken down by the shorthand writer does not include the questions of counsel to which the answers of witnesses are replies nor the remarks of counsel nor the observations of the learned judges, while from the shorthand writer's reports the addresses of counsel to the bench are excluded; and whether, having regard to the fact that circumstances have arisen or may in the future arise under which remarks from the bench, the questions of counsel to witnesses, and the addresses of counsel may be essential to place the Members of this House in full possession of the incidents of such trials, any steps can be taken to render the shorthand writer's reports of the trials of election petitions as complete as the official shorthand writer's reports of ordinary trials, especially on the criminal side of the courts?

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir Rufus Isaacs)

The copy of the transcript forwarded to the Speaker of the evidence given at the trial of an Election Petition does include the questions of counsel as well as the answers of the witnesses and the remarks of counsel and the observations of the learned judges made in the course of the taking of the evidence. It has not been the practice, nor is it required by the Act, to include the addresses of counsel, but steps were taken in May of last year to ensure that in future the addresses of counsel to the bench should also be supplied to the judges if they desired it and forwarded to the Speaker.

Mr. MacNEILL

Is it only at the desire of the judges? It is very essential that this House should have the report?

Sir RUFUS ISAACS

There is no provision in the Act for that. It can only be done now by order of the Bench.