§ Mr. JOHN WARDasked the Attorney-General whether he has been consulted upon the proposal to send one judge of the King's Bench Division in future to hold the summer and winter assizes at Stafford in place of the usual practice of two judges, one for civil and one for criminal causes; whether he is aware that the county of Stafford is the most populous county in the Oxford circuit, and produces the largest amount of business, both civil and criminal, and the judges have usually to obtain the assistance of a commissioner; and, under these circumstances, whether this course, which will cause inconvenience 905 to the people in the county of Stafford, will be abandoned?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir Rufus Isaacs)I am informed that my hon. Friend's statement of fact that the county of Stafford is the most populous county on the Oxford Circuit, and produces the largest amount of business, both civil and criminal, and that sometimes the judges have to obtain the assistance of a commissioner is substantially correct. I have not been consulted with reference to the suggestion in question, which is under consideration as part of a scheme for improving the arrangements of judges on circuit, with a view to the saving of time. No decision has been arrived at, and, further, no such change will be adopted without full opportunity being given of consulting all parties interested, and of discussion in this House, as I have said in answer to previous questions.