§ Mr. A. M. SAMUELasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the occasions since 1905 upon which the cost of robes, etc., on the appointment of a Lord Chancellor has been defrayed out of the Civil Contingencies Fund?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEUnder an arrangement dating back to the reign of George II, each Lord Chancellor on first appointment received an allowance of £1,843 13s. from the Civil Contingencies Fund which was intended to meet the expenses of first entering office. In 1912 a new arrangement was reached under which the allowance ceased to be payable and the Lord Chancellor's actual expenses of the nature referred to are borne by the State. This arrangement was made in the interest of economy, and has operated on every occasion since 1912—seven occasions in all—on which a Lord Chancellor has received his first appointment as such.