HC Deb 07 June 1934 vol 290 cc1223-5

Order for Second Reading read.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

11.8 p.m.

Mr. MANDER

I am not going to oppose this Bill, but I want to make a few comments on the position of His Majesty's judges and the way they were dealt with in the matter of the economy cuts. I cannot help thinking that a grave mistake was made in the way in which they were handled at the time of those cuts. No doubt action was taken in an emergency and in a great hurry, and probably the whole of the circumstances were not clearly thought out, but I cannot help thinking that the situation was not satisfactory then and is really not satisfactory, from their point of view, to-day. I have no doubt that what we did was perfectly legal, because this House can do anything in the way of changing the law, but I cannot think that it was wise. I should have thought that it was desirable to recognise the very special position that the judges of this country occupy under the terms of the Act of Settlement.

Some people say that the Judges are very highly remunerated, and these people have not much interest in and sympathy with the case that is made out for the Judges, but, after all, they are only paid a standard rate, and I am inclined to think that they are not even being paid a standard rate at the present time, and it is of the utmost importance that their position should be absolutely separate and apart from the Executive of the day. We are all very proud in this country of the British judiciary. We believe it to be entirely without its equal in the whole world for probity, fairness and consideration. It is of the utmost importance that there shall be no suspicion that the Executive, by means—by reduction of salaries or in any other way—can interfere with or influence His Majesty's Judges; and whatever we may think, whatever Members of the Government may think, there is no doubt at all, I imagine, what His Majesty's Judges thought about this particular matter. It is of the utmost importance that in all respects they should be above suspicion, as they have always been.

I am very glad to make this suggestion. I think it would have been wiser at that time to make an appeal to them voluntarily, realising that they could not be dealt with in quite the same way as Civil Servants—to make appeal to them to come into line with the rest of His Majesty's Judges at a time of grave crisis, and to accept the cuts thought necessary at that time. I believe His Majesty's Judges would have responded, I will not say willingly, because nobody responded very willingly, but they would have risen to the occasion and fallen into line with the rest of the community, and there would not have been produced that feeling of soreness and misunderstanding that undoubtedly did exist. I do not know now whether it is possible to do anything on these lines, but I do want to take this opportunity of making this point regarding a fact which I think is generally recognised now, that the matter was not handled in the wisest way, and that exactly the same results could have been produced by making an appeal to the judges at that time on a purely voluntary basis.

Bill committed to a Committee of the Whole House for Monday next.—[Captain Maryesson.]