JUDICIAL VACANCIES. (Hansard, 14 February 1928)

§ VISCOUNT HALDANE
My Lords, I only wish to say that from those whom I represent here no opposition will be offered to the Motion. The matter is one for the executive Government to judge, and the only people who can judge are those who represent the executive Government. On looking into the figures I do not think that the expenditure involved is large, but at all events it is highly desirable that justice should be done and done in the shortest time. If in the view of the Government that requires the filling of these vacancies, so far as we are concerned we do not wish to interfere with the responsibilities of the Government.

§ EARL BEAUCHAMP
My Lords, no doubt your Lordships will remember that last year when this matter was discussed there were various suggestions put forward with regard to reforms of the judicial system. I was rather hoping that the noble and learned Viscount on the Woolsack would have been able to tell us that some progress had been made with regard to those matters. The noble and learned Viscount will remember that there were two directions in which some reforms were urged by members of your Lordships' House. First it was urged that there should be a considerable revision of the Assize system, and secondly that there should be a shortening of the long vacation. Nothing, I think, has been done with regard to shortening the long vacation, which those of us here who try to do our duty envy the fortunate members of the Judicial Bench, though I hope that there will be some rules issued shortly which will show that something is to be done in regard to the 100 revision of the Assize system. Whether that be so or not, I venture to invite the noble and learned Viscount on the Woolsack to tell us whether any steps have been taken with regard to either of these matters of reform, which have been mentioned more than once in your Lordships' House and in which I think people in the country take a considerable amount of interest.

§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR
My Lords, with regard to the Assize system, I think your Lordships will know that something has been done in recent times. There was in the last Administration of Justice Act a section which provided that where an Assize was deemed to be unnecessary in a particular place it might be dispensed with and the prisoner, or the prisoners if there was more than one, transferred to a neighbouring Assize. I said on the last occasion that that provision had not been used. It has been used since and I think it will have a very beneficial effect, but I would rather wait to see how that enactment works before proposing any further change with regard to Assizes. As for the long vacation, that is an old question. No doubt the noble Earl knows that our long vacation in England is shorter than the long vacation in any other English-speaking country, very much shorter. Any change is in the hands of the Council of Judges. Whether they will make any further change I do not know, but I have no doubt that the speeches made in your Lordships' House will have sunk into their minds. I would like to add that I think the present system of bringing forward periodically a fresh Motion for two new Judges is inconvenient. It means that there is a gap between the time when a Judge disappears and the time when an Address can be moved. I wish to inform the House that when there is an opportunity I shall propose to ask Parliament to deal with this particular practice.