§ 62. Mr. JOHNSTONasked the Attorney-General when the new advisory committee upon justices of the peace for Stirlingshire is to be appointed; and whether he can give the reasons why, and on whose advice, a committee reconstituted only a few months ago has been disbanded?
§ The SOLICITOR - GENERAL(Sir Thomas Inskip)The Lord Chancellor proposes that the term of office of the new Stirlingshire Justices' Advisory Committee shall commence as from the 1st April, 1925. He hopes to appoint the members during the present month. As regards the second part of the question, I must refer the hon. Member to the answer given to his question on the 30th March last by my right hon. Friend the Lord Advocate.
63. Dr. VERNON DAVIESasked the Attorney-General whether the Lord Chancellor receives any report of the efficiency, or non-efficiency, of justices of the peace; and, if not, will he consider the advisability of asking for such reports?
§ The SOLICITOR- GENERALThe answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's question is in the negative. The Lord Chancellor does not think any useful purpose would be served by asking for reports of the efficiency or non-efficiency of justices of the peace, and, since there must be about 20,000 justices of the peace, he does not think it is practicable to carry out my hon. Friend's suggestion.
64. Dr. VERNON DAVIESasked the Attorney-General whether the Lord Chancellor, in all future appointments of justices of the peace which have not been recommended by an advisory committee, nor referred to them, will notify the chairman or senior magistrate of the bench concerned by whom the recommendation for appointment was made?
§ The SOLICITOR-GENERALIt is not the Lord Chancellor's practice to make appointments to the Bench except after consultation with his advisory committee, and therefore my hon. Friend's question does not arise.