§ VISCOUNT TEMPLEWOODasked His Majesty's Government which sections of the Justices of the Peace Act. 1949, have now been brought into operation, on what dates it is proposed to bring into operation the rest of the Act, and, in particular, when the magistrates' courts committees will be set up and the new rules under the Act issued, and whether the Lord Chancellor will state the cases in which he proposes to waive the population limit for the retention of recorderships.
THE LORD CHANCELLORUnder the Justices of the Peace Act, 1949 (Date of Commencement) Order, 1950 (Statutory Instrument No. 517), Part I of the Act except Section 8, Part V except two subsections of Section 29, subsections (2) to (8) of Section 11, Sections 14, 20, 37, 39, 40, 41, 43 and 44, Section 46 except part of subsection (3) (a), the First Schedule, 648WA and parts of the Sixth and Seventh Schedules, came into force on June 1; and Section 13 and a further part of the Seventh Schedule are to come into force on January 1, 1951. No date has yet been fixed for the bringing into force of the remaining provisions, including the provisions relating to the setting up of magistrates' courts committees. Rules have been made under Section 4 of the Act to come into force on June 1—the Justices (Supplemental List) Rules, 1950 (Statutory Instrument No. 594) and Justices (Lancashire Retired List) Rules, 1950 (Statutory Instrument No. 567). I contemplate that rules will be made under Section 13 to come into effect on January 1 next. I extended to April 16, 1950, the period during which boroughs could apply under Section 10 (5) (a) of the Act for the saving of their commissions and quarter sessions, and I have these applications under consideration.
House adjourned at a quarter past seven o'clock.