MR. HERBERT ROBERTS (Denbighshire, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that a scheme has been drawn up by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to provide for a new ecclesiastical district at Colwyn Bay, which sets forth the particular expediency of such division, and how far this may be Wine without injury to the parties interested; whether the Privy Council has the power to refuse to ratify such a scheme, if it appears that the circumstances of the case do not call for its application; and whether he can state what, under present circumstances, will be the attitude of the Government towards such proposals creating new ecclesiastical vested interests in Wales and Monmouthshire?
§ MR. ASQUITHMy attention has been called to this matter. I understand that in the ordinary course the only question considered by the Privy Council is whether the scheme is within the legal powers of the Commissioners, and, if so, it is passed. Until the law is altered, as it would be by the passing of the Suspensory Bill, the Government have no authority or power to control the action of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in respect of the creation or augmentation of ecclesiastical interests in Wales, otherwise than by the votes of those members of the Government who are Ecclesiastical Commissioners and entitled to sit thereon.