§ Mr. BOTTOMLEYasked the Prime Minister if he will state what are the duties of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster; and whether, in the interests of public economy, he will consider the desirability of arranging for their discharge by a less important personage than a Minister of Cabinet rank, and at a lower salary than £2,000 per annum?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe duties of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster are to control the management of the duchy estates and revenues, and also—within the County Palatine of Lancaster—to appoint justices of the peace and county court judges, and to direct the administration of the estates of persons dying intestate and without kin, and to perform various duties which in other counties devolve upon the Lord Chancellor or the Home Secretary. In practice, it has been found by recent Governments an advantage to possess a Minister whose departmental work is sufficiently light to enable him to attend more closely to other Parliamentary and Ministerial duties. The present pressure on Cabinet Ministers is such as to render it, in my opinion, inexpedient to make the change suggested by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. BOTTOMLEYHave I the Prime Minister's authority to tell the electors of East Bristol to-night that the Government thinks that instead of performing with great credit the duties of Financial Secretary to the Treasury, the right hon. Gentleman is more useful as maid of all work to the Government generally?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI think the office my right hon. Friend discharges is one pre-eminently fitted for a business man.