§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if the Sheriff (Removal from Office) Order 1977 will have the effect of depriving Sheriff Thomson of pension rights; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he requested the Lord President and the Lord Justice-Clerk to send him the report on the fitness for office of Sheriff Peter Thomson;
(3) if he will give the reasons why he considers Sheriff Peter Thomson to be unfit to hold office.
§ Mr. MillanI refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Pollock (Mr. White) on 25th November.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he will publish the text of any written warnings given to Sheriff Peter Thomson;
(2) if, when Sheriff Peter Thomson was invited to appear before the Lord President and the Lord Justice-Clerk, it was made clear to him, that he was in effect being invited to go through a form of trial under the Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971, before then;
(3) whether Sheriff Peter Thomson received a full final warning in writing that he would be removed from office if he expressed views in public concerning the possibility of a plebiscite.
§ Mr. MillanI refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. White) on 25th November.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many days 94W Sheriff Peter Thomson has presided over a court in each of the past five years.
§ Mr. MillanPrecise information is not available. Sheriff Thomson, however, sat on the bench on most court days throughout the period except for absences on annual or sick leave. He has not sat since the order was made on 22nd July 1977.