§ 46. Mr. DOUGLAS HALLasked the Prime Minister the number of days during the sittings of the High Courts of Justice on which judges of the High Court have 989 been engaged on Royal Commissions or Government inquiries since the increase in the number of judges was made by the present Government; and if he can state any reason, other than their duties in connection with these inquiries, which prevented them discharging their judicial duties on these days?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am informed that Mr. Justice Darling has sat on seven occasions after four o'clock on the Royal Commission inquiring into delays in the King's Bench Division. On each occasion he has discharged his judicial duties until half-past three. Lord Parker, when a judge of the High Court, has at various times presided over the Committee of experts inquiring into the merits of different sytems of wireless telegraphy, but this did not interfere with the discharge of his judicial duties. No other judge of the High Court has been prevented from discharging his judicial duties by reason of being engaged on a Royal Commission or Government inquiry.