HC Deb 11 July 1957 vol 573 cc623-4

6.51 p.m.

Sir John Crowder (Finchley)

I beg to move, That the Channel Islands (Church Legislation) Measure, 1931 (Amendment) Measure, 1957, passed by the National Assembly of the Church of England, be presented to Her Majesty for Her Royal Assent in the form in which the said Measure was laid before Parliament. As hon. Members know, the Channel Islands are for ecclesiastical purposes in the Diocese of Winchester, but constitutionally they have a position peculiar to themselves. In consequence, Church Assembly Measures would not affect them unless special machinery existed for applying them to the Islands. Such machinery was set up by a Measure passed in 1931. However, this Measure contained certain limitations on the time within which the machinery which is set up could be used.

These time limits are now thought to be generally unnecessary, and the object of this short Measure is to remove them. There is also a particular reason for their removal. It is necessary to form a new parish in the Island of Jersey. The obvious way of doing it would be under the provisions of the New Parishes Measure, 1943, if that Measure had applied to the Islands. Unfortunately, throughout the period when it could have been applied, the Islands were in German occupation. If the time limits are removed, it will be possible to take the necessary steps to apply the Measure and so allow the new parish to be formed.

The Measure has been approved by the States of Deliberation of the Islands and by the Decanal Conferences of the Islands. It passed through all its stages in the Assembly without a division and no amendment was made or proposed. I hope that the House will feel that this is a Measure to which it can give its assent.

6.53 p.m.

Dr. A. D. D. Broughton (Batley and Morley)

I beg to second the Motion.

The Legislative Committee of the National Assembly of the Church of England submitted this Measure to the Ecclesiastical Committee and the Ecclesiastical Committee found no difficulty in making a favourable report upon it. As the hon. Member for Finchley (Sir J. Crowder) said, the Measure has been approved by the States of Deliberation and by the Decanal Conferences of the Islands of Jersey and Guernsey. The Measure does not prejudicially affect the constitutional rights of any of Her Majesty's subjects. The purpose of the Measure has been explained briefly by the hon. Member and a more detailed explanation of it may be found in the report of the Ecclesiastical Committee. I hope that the House will pass the Measure.

Question put and agreed to.