§ VISCOUNT BLEDISLOEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Committee appointed to consider the future of the Public Trustee Office, announced on May 26, 1971, has yet reported.]
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD HAILSHAM OF SAINT MARYLEBONE)My Lords, this Committee, to whom Her Majesty's Government are grateful, both for the speed and for the thoroughness with which they worked, have now made their report. This is being published to-day as an annex to a White Paper in which the Government's intentions for the future of the Office of the Public Trustee are announced. It will be seen that the intention is to accelerate the run-down of work that is already taking place in the Office, to make full pro vision for the continued satisfactory administration of existing trusts and to merge what may remain of the work of the Public Trustee with the Department of the Official Solicitor. Legislation will be necessary. In making this first public announcement of the intentions of Her Majesty's Government, I should like to take the opportunity to pay tribute to the skilled and devoted work of the staff, both lay and professional, of the Office of the Public Trustee.
§ VISCOUNT BLEDISLOEMy Lords, I thank my noble and learned friend for that clear and precise Answer.
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, may I ask Her Majesty's Government why they intend to abolish the Public Trustee Office?
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I did not say that Her Majesty's Government intended to abolish it. I said that they intended to merge the work with that of the Official Solicitor. But if my noble friend will read the report which is annexed to the White Paper, and which I think will now be available in the Printed Paper Office, he will see a fuller account of the reasons.