45. Mr. GIDEON MURRAYasked the Prime Minister whether he will consider in any scheme for the reform of the House of Lords the desirability of creating the post of Lord Chancellor on an analogous basis to that held by the Speaker of this House, thereby effecting economy in pension charges, owing to the fewer number of holders of the office there are likely to be under such new conditions?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIt will be premature to indicate in advance what would be the scheme for the reform of the House of Lords. I may, however, observe that, if such a change as the hon. Member suggests were made, the result would not be economy but a heavier charge, since the ex-Lord Chancellors perform services which are necessary for the administration of justice at a less cost than would be incurred if those functions were performed by salaried Law Lords, and any reduction in the number of ex-Lord Chancellors would entail a corresponding increase in the number of salaried Judges.
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI do not know what my hon. Friend means by "employed in law offices," but I think they all give their services in the House of Lords or the Privy Council.
§ Major M. WOODWould it not be better that the remuneration which these ex-Lord Chancellors receive should be called salary and not pension, seeing that they actually have work?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThat is a matter of opinion, and I am never very much inclined to dispute or waste time over words.
§ Mr. DEVLINCan the right hon. Gentleman say how many ex-Lord Chancellors are on pension at present in Ireland and England?
§ Mr. DEVLINThere are about a dozen of them.