HL Deb 13 June 1945 vol 136 cc575-7

2.35 p.m.

EARL GREYmoved to resolve, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the Incumbents (Disability) Measure, 1945, be presented to His Majesty for the Royal Assent.

The noble Earl said: My Lords, this Measure has a much longer Church Assembly history, and is not quite such an easy one. For a good many years now the Church has been trying to devise a satisfactory way of meeting the public criticisms that incumbents are sometimes left in charge of parishes when the cause of religion would be better served if they could find a change of activity or be enabled to receive a pension. Desire for change may arise from a variety of causes, and the Church Assembly has been at work along three main lines. This Measure is the first of them, and is designed to meet cases, in the words of your Ecclesiastical Committee, "where an incumbent is unable, through bodily or mental infirmity, wholly or partially to carry out his duties." I should like to stress the words "is unable." Before the Measure can be brought into operation in any case the inability has to be proved to the appropriate court. It is a question of fact, not of likes or dislikes. The appropriate court which is to consider whether there should be a change of incumbent is a committee of six clergy, to be drawn from a panel of twelve clergy elected by their own number from the clergy of the diocese. It is proposed to treat it therefore on a professional basis, just as scientific professions, such as doctors and lawyers, take into their own hands such rules of conduct as affect their own professions.

The Measure first received general approval in the Church Assembly without a division in the summer of 1942. It was then committed to a Committee of the three Houses of that body. The Committee reported the Measure to the Assembly with Amendments in the autumn session of 1943, and it was revised and amended and then ordered to be brought before the diocesan conferences. Forty-one out of forty-three diocesan conferences approved the Measure (the Diocese of Sodor and Man making no return), and suggested various further Amendments, many of which were adopted by the Assembly at the autumn session of 1944. I can think of no other Assembly Measure which has received the endorsement of about 99 per cent. of diocesan conferences. At a separate sitting of the House of Clergy in February this year it was resolved by sixty-five votes to thirteen to support the motion for final approval, and four days later the Assembly gave the Measure final approval without a division. I am afraid that in a Measure of such difficulty touching personal issues, it would be beyond human nature to expect too per cent. support, but I am quite sure that the Church Assembly went to infinite pains to provide the method which would give the greatest satisfaction to the clergy concerned. A comparatively very small number of cases will be affected by this Measure, and the Church Assembly offers it for the consideration of Parliament in the confidence that it is the best way that could be devised for dealing with it. I beg to move.

Moved to resolve, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the Incumbents (Disability) Measure, 1045, be presented to His Majesty for the Royal Assent.—(Earl Grey.)

VISCOUNT MERSEY

My Lords, I should lice to ask the noble Earl whether the appeal committee to which he has alluded will be an ad hoc committee in each case or a standing committee permanently elected.

EARL GREY

The panel of twelve is a standing committee, and I think each case will be considered by an ad hoc committee drawn from that standing panel.

On Question, Motion agreed to.