§ 2.40 p.m.
§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ LORD AMULREEMy Lords, the Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy administer some twenty-four charities in all, some of which go back as far as 1670 though some are as recent as 1940. The purpose of these charities is to benefit widows and children of clergymen and, in some instances, the clergymen themselves. The founders of these charities, however, made their bequests so mixed that it is impossible to find any standard way of applying the benefits. Uniform administration methods have therefore been impossible. It was felt desirable that certain 161 specific funds should be allocated to the predominating objects—namely, for the widows and daughters, a reserve fund for widows and daughters, and for sons and clergy themselves. The terms of the new scheme have been published and have met with no opposition from any quarter, but it was felt advisable to embody them in a Bill before Parliament. I beg to move that the Bill be read a second time.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Lord Amulree.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a; Committee negatived.