§ 53. Mr. Marloweasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when it is proposed to introduce the promised legislation for the purpose of increasing the salaries of His Majesty's judges.
§ Mr. GaitskellI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 14th March to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury (Mr. Langford-Holt).
§ Mr. MarloweIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that his reply referred only to county court judges? I have asked for legislation referring to His Majesty's judges, which means the High Court judges. An undertaking was given by the former Financial Secretary to the Treasury two years ago that legislation would be introduced. Is this another broken pledge by the right hon. Gentleman?
§ Mr. GaitskellWe never accepted that what my right hon. Friend said two years ago constituted a pledge by the Government to increase the salaries of these judges.
§ Mr. MarloweI raised this point with the right hon. Gentleman, who will be aware that it was announced that legislation would be introduced—or that the necessary machinery would be introduced, which is the interpretation which his predecessor put on the Financial Secretary's answer.
§ Mr. GaitskellLegislation has since been introduced dealing with the question of pensions.
§ Mr. ChurchillDoes the Chancellor think that the question might be examined from the point of view of some expense allowance for these high functionaries who are so much affected by all movement expenses?
§ Mr. GaitskellThat is, of course, a different question, but I am not aware that His Majesty's judges have any difficulty on the score of expense allowances.
§ Mr. S. SilvermanIs my right hon. Friend aware that when judges are engaged on judicial business outside London, they are now in receipt of very generous expense allowances?