§ Mr. GLYN-JONESasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what authority the copy of the warrant authorising the change in the Accession Service, and which is signed by the First Lord of the Admiralty, is printed in the Book of Common Prayer; and whether he will authorise the publication of subsequent editions of the Book of Common Prayer which do not contain the name of so prominent a politician as that of a Secretary of State for the time being?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. McKenna)It is and always has been the practice to print in the Prayer Book the Acts of Parliament authorising the use of the ordinary services, and the Royal Warrants authorising the use of special services; and by a practice which has the force of law every Royal Warrant must be countersigned by a Minister of State—in this case the Home Secretary. It is also the practice that the Home Secretary should be a politician in the sense of being a member of and responsible to this House. In none of these points do I see any reason for departure from constitutional usage.