§ MR. CHANNING (Northampton, E.)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is possible for the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to complete and present such parts of the Return ordered on the 20th June, 1887 (of the property and revenues of the Church of England and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners), as relate to the Metropolitan area, separately and at an earlier date than the rest of the Return; and, if so, at what date such separate Return for the Metropolitan area will probably be completed and presented?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. STUART-WORTLEY) (Sheffield, Hallam)(who replied) said: I am informed that the separate presentation of that portion of the Return which relates to the Metropolitan area would tend to delay to a very considerable extent the completion of the Return as a whole. I have no reason to suppose that having ordered a Return as to the whole of England and Wales this House has any wish that that Return should be delayed for the purpose of expediting the publication of so much of it as will relate to the particular area in which the hon. Member is interested.
§ MR. J. ROWLANDS (Finsbury, E.)asked, could the hon. Gentleman give any idea when the whole Return would be ready?
§ MR. STUART-WORTLEYNo, Sir; I am afraid not. The work is an extremely laborious and voluminous one, and great correspondence is involved in it.