§ 65. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what moneys from public funds have been paid, or will be paid, during the present financial year to the Established Churches of England and Scotland, respectively?
Mr. SAMUELThere are no payments to the Established Church of England. There were until recently certain charges totalling £20,323 13s. per annum payable under various Acts to the Church of Scotland General Trustees, for particulars of which I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to House of Commons Paper, No. 71 of 1927, pages 50 to 52. These payments have been commuted in the course of the present year under Section (19) of the Church of Scotland (Property and Endowments) Act, 1925.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYDoes that mean that there is no direct payment out of the public Treasury to the Church of England, whereas there is a substantial payment made by the Treasury to the Established Church of Scotland? Is that the meaning of the answer?
Mr. SAMUELI do not want to enter into a general argument upon the details of the law. Perhaps the hon. and gallant Member will look at the exact answer I have given.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWill the Financial Secretary let that be known in some way for the benefit of Scottish Members of Parliament next time we have an English Church Bill before Parliament?
§ Mr. HARDIECan the hon. Member say what is the difference, in reason, as between a payment to the Church of England and that of Scotland?
§ Mr. BARRMay I ask whether it was not abundantly proved, when we were discussing the Scottish Bill of 1925, that payments were not made to the Church of England as a parallel to those made to the Church of Scotland?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThis sounds like a lesson in history.