§ MR. S. T. EVANS (Glamorgan, Mid.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the resolutions recently passed by both Houses of Convocation of the Province of York, expressing strongly their desire and conviction that no measure dealing with Clergy Discipline should be presented for Second Reading in either House of Parliament before Convocation has seen and considered such measure; and whether the Government will, under the circumstances, consider the advisability of not proceeding with the measure introduced in another place by the Archbishop of Canterbury until after the clergy of the Northern Province shall have expressed their views upon it?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.I understand that a resolution of the character referred to by the hon. Member was passed by one of the Houses of Convocation—the Lower House; but, as the hon. Gentleman is aware, there is a Bill at present in the House of Lords in charge of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The interests of the clergy are therefore fully protected, and I think that before the Bill has been read a second time in the House of Lords there will be a full opportunity for Convocation to discuss it. I should be sorry to interfere with the course of the Bill, especially as it might prejudice its chance of passing.
§ MR. PICTONWould the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to say whether the Government consider the consent of the Northern Convocation necessary?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThat is an abstract question which I cannot answer.
§ MR. PICTONCould the right hon. Gentleman say if there is any precedent to show that the consent is necessary?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThat is a question which I cannot answer without notice. I am not very sure that I could answer it with notice. I have no machinery for making the kind of archæological research which the hon. Gentleman suggests.