I move amendment No. 1:—
In sub-section (1), to delete the words "after consultation with" in line 11, and to substitute therefor the words "with the concurrence of".
I want, in the first place, to apologise to the Minister for giving him rather less time than I might have given to consider these amendments, but there is a certain fatality in that respect. The purpose of the amendment is very obvious. This is not an isolated case. The same wording occurs throughout the whole course of the Bill. As the principle is exactly the same I only put down an amendment in one place to cover the whole lot. The Minister has provided for consultation with the President of the High Court and I am perfectly certain that the Minister will tell me that no Minister for Justice, neither himself nor any subsequent Minister, would act in opposition to the wishes of the President of the High Court after he had been consulted. I think, having regard to that, it would be better if it were specifically so stated in the Act. It is not really from the point of view of the Minister that I am considering this. For the reason that it is expressly set out in the Bill and in the Act, that the Minister merely consults the President of the High Court, it would be better if the President had to give his positive approval because then he would be likely to consider it very much more carefully and seriously before giving advice after consultation. The Minister is at one with me in trying to ensure by every possible means that there shall be nothing directly or indirectly that will cause any possible chance of interference with the judges of the courts in the carrying out of their duties. These duties are necessarily carried out not only when they are sitting in open court. We all know perfectly well that it is possible to ensure by indirect means that a man carrying out a job is hampered through the staff and the facilities that may be made available to him. I do not think that there is any attempt or suggestion here of doing that, but I want to ensure that it cannot be done in the future.