§ MR. HADFIELDasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether a sum of £1,200 annually or biennially had been granted from the Civil Contingencies Fund to the clergy of the Scottish Episcopal Church; whether such allowance was to be discontinued; and, if so, whether notice of the intended disallowance had been given to the parties concerned?
§ MR. WILSONsaid, hon. Members were, no doubt, aware that for many years past a sum of £1,200 had been granted every two years to the Episcopal Church in Scotland from the Civil Contingencies. Two years ago considerable objection was taken to that item, and it was contended that it ought, at all events, to be annually submitted to Parliament. The Government undertook to consider the matter, and, accordingly, when the grant was this year applied for, they came to the conclusion that they ought not to continue to pay it out of the Civil Contingencies Fund, and that if continued, it ought to be placed upon the Votes. They did not, however, feel justified in proposing it as an annual Vote in Parliament, and notice had been given to the parties that after this year the grant would be discontinued.