§ 65. Mr. HINDSasked the Home Secretary how many holders of ecclesiastical offices in the Church in Wales affected by the Welsh Church Act, 1914, had existing interests within the meaning of the said Act on 18th September, 1914; and what was the aggregate net value of such existing interests on 18th March, 1915?
§ Mr. McKENNAI regret that I have not the information which would enable me to answer my hon. Friend's question.
§ 66. Mr. HINDSasked the Home Secretary if he will cause inquiry to be made as to the number of ecclesiastical offices in the Church in Wales which were vacant on 17th September, 1914, otherwise than on the nomination or appointment of the holders thereof to other ecclesiastical offices in the Church in Wales, and as to the number of such offices that were vacated in like manner from 18th September, 1914, to 18th March, 1915?
§ Mr. McKENNAI am unable to give my hon. Friend the information he asks for, but I am making inquiries and I will give him what I can obtain.
§ 67. Mr. ELLIS DAVIESasked how many applications have been made to the Welsh Commissioners to lay patrons for compensation in accordance with the provisions of Section 16 of the Welsh Church Act, 1914; whether any such applications have been made by colleges in the University of Oxford, and by the Simeon trustees, or the trustees of the Church Patronage Society; and, if so, whether the Welsh Commissioners have given any decision as to the validity of applications by the said colleges and trustees?
§ Mr. McKENNAI am informed that the Welsh Commissioners have received applications for compensation from 219 applicants in respect of 351 benefices. Applications have been made by the Oxford colleges Jesus, Pembroke, and Keble, and also by the Simeon trustees and the Church Patronage Society. The Commissioners have not as yet given any decision as to the validity of any claim under this Section of the Act.
§ 76. Mr. ELLIS DAVIESasked the hon. Member for the Doncaster Division, as representing the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, the total net income from endowments of the Church of England in Wales at 1st January, 1913, and at 1st January, 1915; the portion of such income at each of these dates derived from tithe rent-charge; and the commuted amount of the tithe rent-charge arising from endowments believed to have existed prior to 1662 in the diocese of Bangor, Llandaff, St. Asaph, and St. Davids?
§ Sir CHARLES NICHOLSONThe information required to answer the first and second parts of this question is not in the possession of the Ecclesiastical Com- 582 missioners, and I do not know of the existence of any more recent Return than that given in the Appendix to the Report of the Royal Commission on the Church in Wales, which was based on figures for the year 1906. In reply to the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the written answer given by me on the 20th instant to a question of the hon. Member for the Northern Division of Somerset.