CHURCH OF ENGLAND ASSEMBLY (POWERS) ACT, 1919. (Hansard, 20 July 1939)

§ Mr. Denman

I beg to move: That, in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the Clergy (National Emergency Precautions) Measure, 1939, be presented to His Majesty for Royal Assent. I wish in a few sentences to call the attention of the House to the Clergy (National Emergency Precautions) 895 Measure, not because I believe it to be in any way controversial matter but be cause, in enabling the Church to function most usefully in time of war, it does undoubtedly affect the legal rights both of the public and the clergy. In war time there may be mass movements of the population which will entail corresponding movements of the clergy. Churches may be required for such purposes as casualty clearing stations, and some may need to be temporarily closed, parish clergy may be wanted for service with the forces, and so on. The Measure makes it possible for the Archbishops to deal with situations of that character by means of regulations and for the Ecclesiastical Com missioners and Queen Anne's Bounty to vary payments to meet special cases. The procedure is accompanied by certain safeguards, notably that the regulations have to be laid before both Houses, either of which can annul them, and the whole Measure is limited to a life of five years unless at the end of that time a war is in progress. I feel sure that the House will welcome the fact that the Church, like the State, is taking power in advance to meet an emergency which we all hope will not arise.