HC Deb 01 July 1924 vol 175 cc1281-2
Sir K. WOOD

I beg to move, in page 2, line 42, at the end to insert the words Provided that no registrar or high bailiff appointed before the passing of this Act shall be paid a less salary than his net salary and remuneration for the year ending the thirty-first day of December, nineteen hundred and twenty-three, without the consent of such registrar of high bailiff. The Clause is as follows: Every registrar and every high bailiff of a Court shall be paid such salary, to be either exclusive of the remuneration of any officers of the Court and of any other expenses of his office or not, as the Lord Chancellor may from time to time with the consent of the Treasury direct, and, where the salary is inclusive of and such remuneration or expenses as aforesaid, the Lord Chancellor may, if he thinks fit and subject to the consent of the Treasury, specify what part of that salary is applicable to the payment of the said remuneration or expenses. The hon. Members who have put down this Amendment, I think desire, if it is necessary, that those registrars and high bailiffs, who are appointed before the passing of the Act shall not suffer so far as their remuneration is concerned. Perhaps the hon. and learned Gentleman will say whether he thinks this is necessary or not

Mr. REMER

I beg to second the Amendment.

Few people in the land deserve better of the House and the country than those my hon. Friend has mentioned. They have done their work well and efficiently and they should receive their remuneration on the same basis.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL

I am afraid I am quite unable to accept the Amendment. I am sorry that when the Second Reading was moved it was not made more clear. I hoped everyone understood the reasons why I could not accept it. The Bill has been the subject of very careful, intricate and delicate negotiations between the Treasury, the Lord Chancellor's Department and the Association of Registrars. It is as the result of those negotiations, that the Bill has been brought into being. They are passionately anxious that it should pass in this form. The Association of Registrars have agreed to the terms upon which they are to be remunerated. I have not heard of one dissentient voice in regard to this agreement. The Association of Registrars still want it to be carried out in the form in which it has been agreed, and I cannot see why it should be altered. If there is a change in the agreement affecting one party, it will go far to invalidate the agreement with the others. It will be impossible for this Bill to pass if we go to the parties with whom we have made the agreement and say, "We have altered the agreement in a very material form." If this Amendment were carried, I am informed by the Lord Chancellor's Department that it would probably affect all the agreements and would not only further delay the Bill but possibly result in the Bill not passing. What on earth is the object of this Amendment I cannot see. I cannot believe that the hon. Members who moved and seconded it are aware that there is this binding agreement with the Association of Registrars. I have heard that there is one Gentleman who has left the Association. Whether or not he has had anything to do with this matter I cannot say. I hope the hon. Members will not press the Amendment.

Amendment negatived.

Mr. SPEAKER

I do not select the next three Amendments on the Paper.