Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 18 March 1947.
Mr Hector Hughes
, Aberdeen North
12:00,
18 March 1947
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps on the lines of the recommendations made in the Report of the Royal Commission on the Court of Session and the office of Sheriff Principal in 1927 (Cmd. 2801) designed to improve the work of the office of Sheriff Principal and his judicial functions, his administrative duties, his duties in relation to the Executive Government and the preservation of the peace.
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs
The recommendations of the Royal Commission of 1927 relating to the office of Sheriff Principal have been substantially carried out and no further action appears necessary at the present time.
Mr Hector Hughes
, Aberdeen North
Is the Minister aware that this reform is urgently required, and that there is great dissatisfaction among litigants and lawyers in Scotland at appeals from a single judge being heard by a single judge; and is he aware that such appeals should be heard by at least two judges or a bench of judges?
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs
I was not aware that there was any dissatisfaction in Scotland about our legal system, which has been in operation for so long.
Mr Hector Hughes
, Aberdeen North
Will the Minister look into it?
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs
I am always willing to look into anything.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
