HC Deb 17 December 1934 vol 296 cc806-7
20. Mr. DAVID EVANS

asked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been drawn to the recent declaration of Mr. Justice Talbot in regard to the trial of actions in the commercial list; why there is a shortage of judges specially familiar with the matters with which commercial causes are concerned and with the law relating to them; and what steps are being taken to remedy this deficiency?

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL (Sir Donald Somervell)

My attention has been drawn to the statement of Mr. Justice Talbot. The difficulties in connection with the commercial list are due in part to the absence of one or more of His Majesty's Judges through illness and in part to the unusual pressure of work on some of the circuits. The Lord Chief Justice is giving attention to these difficulties. Meanwhile a Bill has been introduced in another place to enable two additional Judges to be appointed.

Mr. EVANS

Has the hon. and learned Member's attention been drawn to the very grave character of the observations made by Mr. Justice Talbot, who said, in effect, that the trial of commercial cases by a judge who is not familiar with such subjects is a fraud on the litigant in question, and that he thought it his duty to draw attention to the public mischief involved in such matters; and whether it is not a fact that on that very day there were learned judges familiar with such cases who were employed in trying criminal cases and who had no experience of such cases?

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL

The House will agree that this is not a proper matter to discuss in a controversial sense by question and answer. In regard to the last part of the supplementary question, I have no information before me. In regard to the other part, I should like to say that, in so far as Mr. Justice Talbot expressed or appeared to express doubts as to his own capacity to try a particular class of case, I am certain that those doubts are shared by no one who knows the learned judge.

Mr. EVANS rose

——

Mr. SPEAKER

We cannot discuss this matter.