§ MR. ROBERT PHILLIMOREsaid, he desired to know whether it was the intention of Her Majesty's Ministers to proceed with the Wills and Administrations Bill? The reason he asked the question was because he had been led to understand that the Bill depended on the Clergy Discipline Bill, which was lately rejected by the House of Lords.
THE SOLICITOR GENERAL,in reply, said that it was the intention of the Government to proceed with the Wills and Administrations Bills as soon as possible. If the Marriage and Divorce Bill, now in the House of Lords, together with the 1530 Testamentary Bill, were passed, the whole of the jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical Courts would be swept away. There was no connection between the Church Discipline Bill and the Testamentary Bill save, probably, that inasmuch as certain offices were to be abolished, compensation would be given in the proposed Testamentary Bill, which would deal also with officers removed under the Church Discipline Bill.