§ 11.8 p.m.
§ Mr. DenmanI beg to move,
That, in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the Queen Anne's Bounty (Powers) Measure, 1937, be presented to His Majesty for Royal Assent.It is usual for the convenience of the House for these Measures to be moved formally unless they contain matter with which the House ought to concern itself. I should this evening have moved that this Measure be submitted to His Majesty formally, but for one fact, of which, I think, the House should take note. This is, as far as I know, the first occasion on which the Government have deliberately used the machinery of the Enabling Act to lighten the burden that would otherwise be cast upon them and upon Parliament. The Measure arose out of the Tithe Act. What happened was that, in the course of the framing of the Tithe Bill, Queen Anne's Bounty had to represent to the Minister the large number of administrative problems that needed treatment. There came a point when the Minister said in effect, "We will put into the Bill what is of substance and of general interest, but we must ask you to deal, by means of the enabling Measure, with matters of purely domestic interest." From that procedure this Measure arises. It is interesting for the House to note that the Government
§ have adopted this method of lessening the burden that would otherwise have been cast upon the Minister and his Department. But for the Enabling Act, all the Clauses of this Measure would have had to be incorporated in the Tithe Act itself. The question is purely an administrative one. The Measure has been before the Ecclesiastic Committee of both Houses, who have examined it and given it a clean bill.
§ Sir Francis FremantleI beg to second the Motion.
§ 11.11 p.m.
§ Mr. BateyWe should have far more information with regard to this matter. It seems to me to be an important Resolution. It deals with property and compensation. We ought to know what lies behind the Resolution before we agree to it, and unless we can have further information we shall vote against it.
§ 11.12 p.m.
§ Mr. DenmanI can speak again only by leave of the House. I am most delighted to respond to the request of the hon. Member. The object of the Measure is primarily to provide that the income payable by Queen Anne's Bounty to incumbents shall be paid to them regularly by quarterly instalments. Under the Tithe Act they obtain their income half yearly, but for the convenience of the incumbents it is proposed that they should receive their stipend quarterly if possible. This Measure provides the machinery by which that can be done. There is a further Clause—Clause 10—which deals with the ecclesiastical corporations. In their case the annuity would pass Queen Anne's Bounty who do not in the normal way concern themselves with the income of these ecclesiastical corporations. These are dealt with primarily by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. This Measure provides the machinery by which this money can 1735 be transferred from Queen Anne's Bounty to the Ecclesiastical Commission so that they may deal with the ecclesiastical corporations. That is substantially the purpose for the Measure.
§
Resolved,
That, in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this
1736
House do direct that the Queen Anne's Bounty (Powers) Measure, 5937, be presented to His Majesty for Royal Assent.
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- ADJOURNMENT. 16 words