§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked whether it is proposed by the Established Church (Wales) Bill to take those parishes of the diocese of St. Asaph which are situated in Shropshire out of that diocese; how long these parishes have formed part of that diocese; to which diocese is it proposed to transfer them; and whether any patronage now enjoyed in those parishes by the Bishops of St. Asaph will be transferred to the bishop of the diocese into which the parishes are to be placed?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe answer to this question is given in Clause 9 (2). The parishes, situated wholly in Shropshire, will be attached to an English diocese to be decided by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and the patronage now enjoyed by the Bishop of St. Asaph may, if he Commissioners think fit, be transferred to the Bishop of the diocese to which the parishes will be attached by them. I am unable to say how long these parishes have formed part of the diocese of St. Asaph.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that these parishes formed part of this diocese since the early-days of the thirteenth century?
§ Sir J. D. REESWhat will happen to the parishes in Montgomeryshire which now belong to the diocese of Hereford?
§ Mr. McKENNAIf the hon. Gentleman will consult the Bill he will see.