HC Deb 19 April 1971 vol 815 cc338-40W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Attorney-General (1) to what extent the Recorder of Cardiff has, in addition to his £9,000 per annum salary as a National Insurance Commissioner, any tax free allowance from the £300 per annum and £30 per sitting day as paid for his Recorder-ship; and whether he has to meet the costs of his secretary's salary and all other expenses incurred from these allowances;

(2) to what extent the £35 per sitting day as paid to the Deputy Chairman of the Essex County Quarter Sessions is on a tax free basis; and whether he has to meet the costs of his secretary and all other expenses incurred from these allowances;

(3) to what extent the £200 per annum and £29 per day sitting allowance paid to the Recorder of Colchester is on a tax free basis; and whether he has to meet the costs of his secretary's salary and all other expenses incurred from these allowances;

(4) to what extent the £200 per annum and £29 per sitting day, as paid to the Recorder of Northampton, is on a tax free basis; and whether, out of these fees, he has to meet the costs of his secretary's salary and all other expenses incurred from these allowances;

(5) whether the Deputy Chairman of the Essex Quarter Session's £35 per sitting day allowance, £100 per annum and £23 per sitting day allowance as Recorder of Guildford are tax free;

(6) to what extent the £300 per annum and £35 per sitting day, as paid to the Deputy Chairman of the Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions, is tax free; and what expenses have to be met out of these sums;

(7) whether the Chairman of the Merioneth Quarter Sessions is enabled to draw his £100 per annum and £35 per sitting day allowance in addition to his £100 per annum and £23 per sitting day as Recorder of Merthyr Tydfil; and how much of these sums are tax free;

(8) whether the £200 per annum and the £29 per sitting day of the Recorder of Norwich is on a tax-free basis; and whether he has to meet his secretary's salary and all other expenses incurred from these allowances;

(9) to what extent the Deputy Chairman of the Hertford County Quarter Sessions is able, in addition to his £1,500 per annum and £35 for each sitting day, to claim the £200 per annum and £29 per sitting day as Recorder of Birkenhead; and how much of these sums are tax free;

(10) whether the £200 per annum and £29 per sitting day paid to the Recorder of Bedford is on a tax-free basis; and what expenses have to be met;

(11) to what extent the £35 per sitting day as paid to the Deputy Chairman of the Dorset County Sessions is on a tax-free basis; and what expenses have to be met out of these sums.

The Attorney-General

All remuneration and allowances payable to a recorder or a chairman or deputy chairman of quarter sessions are subject to taxation.

Chairmen and deputy chairmen of quarter sessions are entitled, in certain circumstances, to claim travelling and subsistence allowances. There is no statutory provision for reimbursing them or recorders in respect of any other expenses which they may incur.

Where a person holds office as a recorder and also as chairman or deputy chairman of one or more quarter sessions he can, of course, claim remuneration at the prescribed rates in respect of the judicial duties he performs in each of these several offices.

The Recorder of Cardiff, to whom the hon. Member refers in Question 37, is not a National Insurance Commissioner.

The Deputy Chairman of the Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions, to whom the hon. Member refers in Question 42, receives £35 per sitting day, but not £300 per annum; I regret that my Answer of the 22nd March was incorrect in this respect.—[Vol. 814, c. 53–6.]