HC Deb 18 July 1927 vol 209 cc199-200

Resolution reported, That it is expedient to authorise the payment out of moneys provided by Parliament of the sums which, under any Act of the present Session to amend the Law relating to the offices of sheriff clerk, procurator fiscal, and commissary clerk in Scotland, and to make further provision regarding the sheriff courts, may become payable in respect of—

  1. (a) salaries and other allowances to persons holding the office of sheriff clerk, procurator fiscal, or commissary clerk, and to deputes, clerks, or other assistants of such officers;
  2. (b) the grant in accordance with the Superannuation Acts, 1834 to 1919, of superannuation and other allowances to or in respect of the above-mentioned officers appointed after the passing of such Act, or appointed prior thereto and not having attained the age of 55 on the 1st October, 1918;
  3. (c) the grant on retirement to or in respect of such existing officers as are not eligible for superannuation allowances of gratuities not exceeding in the case of any such officer twice the 200 amount of the salary and emoluments, received by him from ally source whatsoever in respect of his office during his last year of service;
  4. (d) the payment of expenses incurred by a procurator fiscal in any proceedings taken by him or at his instance."

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolution."

Mr. BUCHANAN

In the first place I want to say that this Motion was on the Order Paper for the Committee stage last week, and I had always understood that it appeared on the Order Paper on Report also. I expressed my views on it on Friday last in Committee, and on the Report stage I only want briefly to enter my protest against the Resolution being taken at all. The way in which the Sheriff Officers in Scotland have been treated has been monstrous, and why the Opposition ought not to divide against it I cannot understand. I only want formally to enter my protest against it.