HC Deb 30 June 1938 vol 337 cc2267-8

10.47 p.m.

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Captain Euan Wallace)

I beg to move, in page 59, line 7, at the end, to insert:

54 & 55 Vict., c. 39. The Stamp Act, 1891. In the First Schedule, the words "DOCKET made on passing any instrument under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom
0 2 0," the words "CONGÉ D'ÉLIRE see GRANT," the words from "GRANT or LETTERS PSTENT," to "And see section 74," and the words "WARRANT under the sign manual of Her Majesty 0 10 0."
This Amendment and the next are really consequential on new Clauses which have been agreed to.

Mr. Paling

What is the effect of the Amendments?

Captain Wallace

If the hon. Member will look at the Fourth Schedule, he will see that it deals with enactments which are repealed. The Chancellor the other day moved a new Clause in order to repeal certain Stamp Duties, which the Committee agreed to, and a necessary consequence is the repeal of certain words of the Act which is specified in the left-hand column. The second column contains the short title of that Act and in the third column are the precise words which are to be repealed.

Mr. Wedgwood Benn

It is really rather interesting that words which have an historical significance should be repealed in this casual way in the Schedule. Some information should be given.

Captain Wallace

They have to be repealed in order to carry out the will of the Committee, as indicated in the adoption of the new Clause. If we did not repeal these words, the new Clause, to which the Committee has assented, would not have proper effect.

Mr. Benn

The right hon. and gallant Gentleman is repeating over and over that these are consequential on some other Amendment of the Bill, but I am asking for information. The congé d'élire, if my recollection serves me, is the power exercised by the King before the bishops are appointed. If we repeal this, is any alteration to be made in connection with the appointment of bishops?

Sir J. Simon

I think the point is clear. The Clause to which reference is made puts an end to charges in connection with certain formal documents, one of which is the conge d'élire, which previously required a stamp as a contribution to the Revenue. We are ending that. We are not ending the conge d'élire of Bishops.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendment made: In page 59, line 43, column 3 at the end, insert "and Section thirty."—[Captain Wallace.]