HC Deb 24 April 1951 vol 487 cc215-6
53. Mr. Marlowe

asked 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. Gaitskell

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 14th March to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury (Mr. Langford-Holt).

Mr. Marlowe

Is 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. Gaitskell

We 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. Marlowe

I 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. Gaitskell

Legislation has since been introduced dealing with the question of pensions.

Mr. Churchill

Does 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. Gaitskell

That 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. Silverman

Is 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?