OFFICIAL SOLICITOR BILL [Lords]. (Hansard, 10 July 1919)

§ Sir H. NIELD
Can we have some explanation of this Bill from the Attorney-General?

§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir G. Hewart)
This measure has passed all its stages in another place. It is to provide a remedy for the state of things that will arise on the retirement of the present official solicitor. At the hon. and learned Gentleman is aware, the official solicitor is ordinarily appointed by virtue of his office as receiver in lunacy under the Lunacy Act, and to various other appointments. When the present official solicitor retires, as he shortly will, unless this Bill is passed all these appointments will be vacated and the necessary continuity will not be maintained. The result would be, if the Bill were not passed, that some hundreds of separate Orders would have to be made in certain cases. All this Bill provides is that the official solicitor should be succeeded by his successor, and that, without making special Orders, that successor will step into the various appointments which have been made in regard to the office.

§ Sir H. NIELD
I have nothing further to say. I am sure the right hon. and learned Gentleman will not be displeased at having been afforded an opportunity of making a statement on what does seem a strange state of things, in that Parliament has not before made a similar provision There has been, to my knowledge, a change in the office since it was created. Nothing could be more appalling than the prospect of having to make new Orders in so many cases. The present position is hard to understand.

§ Sir G. HEWART
I beg to move That this House will immediately resolve itself into the Committee on the Bill. I hope, with the assent of all interested in the Bill, that we may be able to get the remaining stages to-night.