§ MR. ANNAN BRYCE (Inverness Burghs)I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the delay in the settlement of many of the outstanding questions between the Free and United Free Churches in Scotland, as regards the ownership of Church property, is causing inconvenience; and whether he will use his influence with the Commissioners to expedite the settlement by the issue of a further interim Report or otherwise.
§ MR. SINCLAIRThe settlement of questions referred to by the hon. Member has taken somewhat longer than was anticipated on account of the great mass of statistical and other information which has had to be collected by both Churches. The Commissioners had been anxious to expedite the investigation of all cases where congregational property was in dispute, but were informed that many of them were not ready for submission to the Assistant Commissioners. They are hopeful that this difficulty will now soon be overcome, and so far as they are concerned they have throughout been anxious to give every facility for the earliest possible determination of the questions submitted to them.