HC Deb 27 June 1938 vol 337 cc1529-30
52. Mr. Logan

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, following on his reconstruction of the Justices Advisory Committee in Liverpool, he intends to follow this procedure throughout the duchy, particularly in excluding political leaders from these committees?

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Earl Winterton)

I do not intend any general reconstruction of advisory committees in the County Palatine: when in the case of individual committees additional appointments or reconstruction become necessary, it is my duty to select the committee which in my opinion is most suitable collectively to carry out its semi-judicial functions and most likely to frame its recommendations to me in the light of the report of the Royal Commission upon the Selection of Justices of the Peace: it will not be my practice necessarily either to exclude any gentleman from or on the other hand to include them in, my appointments to advisory committees on the ground that they are local political leaders.

Mr. Kelly

May I ask the Noble Lord why he has departed from his usual practice of excluding Members of Parliament from these advisory committees by placing a Member of Parliament on this particular committee?

Earl Winterton

The hon. Gentleman is mistaken in thinking that Members of Parliament are not on advisory committees. I extended an invitation only the other day to an hon. Gentleman on that side of the House to serve on such a committee.

Mr. Logan

Where political leaders are not placed on these committees, who advises the Chancellor?

Earl Winterton

I advise myself. I choose the committee best calculated to give me advice to enable me to perform my functions of appointing persons to important judicial positions.

Mr. Gardner

Is the Noble Lord aware that I was removed from an advisory committee because I was a Parliamentary candidate?