HL Deb 07 July 1881 vol 263 cc210-1

House in Committee (according to order).

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDON

said, that on behalf of his noble Friend (the Duke of Buccleuch) he begged to propose an Amendment in the Bill. He thought the Lord Advocate was not the proper authority for making the alteration in the lunacy districts. The Bill proposed that as the Prison Boards did not now exist, the power should be in the hands of the Lord Advocate, acting on the application of the General Board of Commissioners in Lunacy. He proposed to strike out "the Lord Advocate," and make the clause read— The General Board of Commissioners in Lunacy in Scotland shall have power, on the application of the Commissioners of Supply, to alter or vary the districts or divide the counties, &c. He hoped the Government would have no objection to the Amendment, as it seemed a much better proposal for dealing with the question than that the Lord Advocate should have power of varying those districts upon the application of the Commissioners.

THE EARL OF DALHOUSIE

said, he had received no Notice of the Amendment, and he therefore asked the noble Duke not to press it at present, but to bring it up on the Report.

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDON

said, that in the circumstances he would acquiesce in the suggestion of the noble Earl.

THE EARL OF DALHOUSIE

moved to substitute the Commissioners of Supply of any county for the General Board of Commissioners in Lunacy.

Amendment agreed to.

The Report of the Amendment to be received To-morrow; and Bill to be printed as amended. (No.152.)