§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR, in moving that the Bill be now read the second time, said, it was one to carry into effect an arrangement which had been made for the purpose, in future, of paying the Law Officers of England by a fixed salary instead of by fees. The Bill provided for the payment of the fees now received by them to the public account. 448 It would have partial operation at once, because one of the present Law Officers (the Solicitor General) had taken office since the new arrangement was determined on, and as the accession to office of the present Attorney General was prior to the arrangements, that hon. and learned Gentleman would continue to receive fees. The Bill, therefore, would not apply to him; but the fees hitherto paid to the Solicitor General would be paid into the Treasury, and the hon. and learned Gentleman would be remunerated by a salary, as would be the successors of the present Attorney General.
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly; and committed to a Committee of the Whole House To-morrow.