§ Mr. MARTINasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that the scheme of the Lord Chancellor for the appointment of committees as to the selection of magistrates has had a fair trial and has proved wholly abortive, and that the grievance of Liberals at the great preponderance of Tories on the magisterial bench is felt more and more every day, he will introduce a Bill this Session to put the appointment of justices of the peace in the hands of a Minister having a seat in this House?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have not been furnished with any evidence to justify the statements with which my hon. Friend prefaces his question, and I am not therefore prepared to consider the remedy that he suggests.
§ Mr. WATTWould the right hon. Gentleman say what rules govern the meetings of those Committees, and who issues those rules?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat does not arise out of the question.
§ Mr. KINGasked the Attorney-General whether any Advisory Committee, formed to assist the Lord Lieutenant in selecting magistrates, has recommended that any non-effective, non-resident, or inactive justices should be removed from the rolls; if so, whether such recommendation has been acted on; and whether the Lord Chancellor is prepared to act on the recommendation of the Royal Commission that non-effective magistrates should be removed from the commission of the peace?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir Rufus Isaacs)The answer to the three questions is in the affirmative.