HC Deb 12 May 1933 vol 277 cc1850-2

Amendments made; In page 1, line 21, leave out the word "any ", and insert instead thereof the word "a":

In line 21, leave out the words "or neglects":

In line 21, leave out the words "observe or":

In line 22, leave out the words "in pursuance of Section one of this Act," and insert instead thereof the words: under the preceding section.

In page 2, line 1, leave out the words "any such failure or neglect," and insert instead thereof the words "that failure."—[The Solicitor-General.]

11.31 a.m.

Mr. BIRD

I beg to move, in page 2, line 12, leave out the words "paid to the Society and credited to their general funds" and insert instead thereof the words, "forfeit to His Majesty."

When this Bill was recommitted, several of my hon. Friends raised objection to the method in which any fines that would be inflicted were to be applied. The Bill provided that they were to be paid into the funds of the Law Society. The hon. Gentleman opposite rather took the view that that would tend to make the Disciplinary Council inflict heavy fines so that they could get large funds. I gave an undertaking that I would consider the point, and I have been able to put down this Amendment, which I understand meets the objection of the hon. Gentleman and others.

11.32 a.m.

Mr. RHYS DAVIES

I beg to second the Amendment.

I am very much obliged to the hon. Member for accepting my proposal. I have an Amendment on the Order Paper to provide that the money shall go to the High Court, but the hon. Gentleman knows better than I do, and he is going to see to it that the fines are to be in forfeit to His Majesty. But there is a point that we are entitled to ask. What is the destination of the fines when we say they shall be forfeited to His Majesty? I am very pleased indeed that the promoters have brought forward this suggestion, because it seemed to me a very strange proceeding that, when a man violates the law of the land and is taken before the court and the court inflicts a fine, the fine should go back to the Law Society That would be a very convenient way for trade unions, not that they break the law more often than the legal profession, but it would be a boon if all the fines that are inflicted on trade unionists came back to trade union funds. It seemed to me that, as the machinery of the State and the courts are employed in order to see that this Act is carried out by the legal profession, it is only fair that the expenses of the court in handling cases shall be met from fines inflicted by the court, I am sure now that I have proved to the hon. and learned Gentleman that I ought to have been a solicitor myself.

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL

The result of this Amendment, I understand, will be that these fines will be treated exactly in the same way as, for example, forfeited recognizances and paid into a special fund.

Amendment agreed to.