§
Resolved:
That the Draft of a Special Order proposed to be made by the Minister of Fuel and Power under the Gas Undertakings Acts, 1920 to 1934, on the application of the Rural District Council of Ennerdale which was presented on 15th May and published, be approved."—[Sir Austin Hudson.]
§ The remaining Orders were read, and postponed.
844§ duty here to defend individual clergymen against the arbitrary exercise of powers by highly-placed ecclesiastics and I do urge on the House that we ought not to allow these powers to be conferred upon episcopal persons without reconsideration of what they are asked to do.
§ I suspect very much that the reason we have been asked to consider it now, in these circumstances, and in this atmosphere, is because we could not possibly be persuaded to give these powers in more normal circumstances. I do sincerely urge, in the interest of the protection of a body of persons who are entitled to protection—because,remember, we are conferring juridical powers upon committees and bishops in the Church of England the effect of which is to deprive clergymen of common law rights—I say that we ought not to give these powers, which are a reflection upon the House of Commons.
§ Question put.
§ The House divided: Ayes, 37; Noes, 5.
843| Division No. 22.] | AYES. | [10.43 p.m. |
| Acland-Troyte, Lt.-Col. Sir G. J. | Grant-Ferris, Wins-Commander R. | Prescott, Capt. W. R. S. |
| Agnew, Comdr. P. G. | Harmon, Sir P. J. H. | Procter, Major H. A. |
| Boles, Lt.-Col. D. C. | Harvey, T. E. | Profumo, Colonel J. D. |
| Brooke, H. (Lewisham) | Herbert, Petty Officer A. P. (Oxford U.) | Pym, L. R. |
| Caine, G. R. Hall. | Hopkinson, A. | Raikes, H. V. A. M. |
| Cary, R. A. | Hudson, Sir A. (Hackney, N.) | Ross, Taylor, W. |
| Colegate, W. A. | Hutchinson, G. C. (Ilford) | Watt, F. C. (Edinburgh, Cen.) |
| Cox, Major H. M. Trevor | Kerr, H. W. (Oldham) | Wragg, Sir H. |
| Craven-Ellis, W. | Lennox-Boyd, A. T. L. | York, Major C. |
| Cundiff, Major F. W. | Mathers, G. | Young, Major A. S. L. (Partick) |
| Davies, D. R. S. (Carnarvon) | Mott-Radclyffe, Major C. E. | |
| Duckworth, W. R. (Moss Side) | Nall, Sir J. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES:— |
| Edmondson, Major Sir J. | Nield, Lt.-Col. B. E. | Major Mills and Colonel Sir George Courthope. |
| Elliot, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. W. E. |
| NOES. | ||
| Driberg, T. E. N. | Stokes, R. R. | TELLERS FOR THE NOES:— |
| Hall, W. G. (Colne Valley) | Tinker, J. J. | Mr. Bevan and Mr. Bowles. |
| Reakes, G. L. (Wallasey) |