§ MR. HENRY D. SEYMOURrose to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether the Govern merit have received from the English and Irish Prelates any heads of a measure for the Reform of the Ecclesiastical Courts. He wished to know also whether, if the Government have received the heads of the proposed measure from the English Prelates alone, they intend to communicate with the Irish Prelates on the subject?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYreplied, that the Bishop of London had informed the Lord Chancellor that a measure was under the consideration of some of the Bishops for the amendment of the Church Discipline Acts, and on Saturday Dr. Twigs, the Vicar General for the province of Canter 374 bury, had communicated to the Lord Chancellor the copy of a Bill which he informed him had been approved by the two Archbishops and fifteen of the Bishops, I and which would be communicated to the remainder of the Prelates; but as the Bill had only been in the hands of the Lord Chancellor forty-eight hours, it could not of course have yet been considered by the Government. He (Sir George Grey) had previously been in communication with the Lord Chancellor on this subject, and his lion, and learned Friend the Solicitor General had given much attention to the subject during the recess, and he hoped I that a Bill dealing with the question would be proposed during the present Session. He was unable to give a specific answer to the latter part of the hon. Gentleman's question as to communication with the Irish Prelates.