§ MR. DELANYI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he can inform the House when the Joint Committee on the subject of the Sovereign's Accession. Oath and Declaration will be appointed; and whether he will consider the advisability of moving an Instruction to the Committee to inquire to what extent the Declaration is objectionable to Roman Catholics and likewise to the members of the Creek Orthodox Church.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThis matter has been initiated in another place, and until the House of Lords appoint the Committee, I am afraid we cannot take any steps; but I do not think there will be any delay in appointing the Committee.
§ MR. DELANYWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of the question?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think it would be undoubtedly open to the Committee to take evidence, if they wished to do so, as to the way in which the Declaration was objectionable to His Majesty's subjects.
§ MR. DELANYCan the right hon. Gentleman inform me how many relatives of the King, including reigning sovereigns, belong to the Greek Church?
§ [No answer was returned.]
MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the resolutions condemnatory of the portion of the King's Accession Oath offensive to Roman Catholics which were passed by grand juries, county councils, corporations, district councils, and other public bodies in Ireland, and by representative organisations in Great Britain, Canada, Australia, the United States, and other foreign countries, in order that the Joint Committee of the Lords and Commons about to be appointed to inquire into and report on this matter may have the advantage of considering them before coming to a decision on the question.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not think it necessary to publish the Return asked for. It will be in the competence of the Committee to call for any information they desire. I should have thought that the general topics suggested in the question are matters of common knowledge; and if they are not, the Committee will have full power to make themselves more fully acquainted with them.
§ *MR. WILLIAM JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)Will the Committee be empowered to take evidence from Protestants who may object to any alteration in the Declaration?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURSo I should suppose.