§ MR. ASQUITH (Fifeshire, E.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the fact that in connection with the church dispute in Scotland the representatives of the Free Church have, in a large proportion of the cases in which Sir John Cheyne, the Government Commissioner, has issued recommendations, disregarded these recommendations, and are evicting the United Free Church ministers and congregations from the churches of which they are in possession; and what steps the Government propose to take in the matter.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIn answer to the right hon. Gentleman I have to say that the Government have learned, and learned with the very greatest regret, of the action which the Free Church of Scotland has taken in reference to one of the Commissions now sitting in respect of the ecclesiastical disputes in that country. With regard to the last clause of the Question we hope, as soon as we have received the Report of the Elgin Commission and have had time to consider it, to introduce legislation which will deal with the whole circumstances.