HC Deb 18 March 1959 vol 602 cc586-7
The Comptroller of Her Majesty's Household (Colonel J. H. Harrison)

I beg to move that— —

Mr. Speaker

Sir Peter Agnew.

12.30 a.m.

Sir Peter Agnew (Worcestershire, South)

I beg to move, That the Vacancies in Sees Measure, 1959, 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.

Mr. James Callaghan (Cardiff, South-East)

On a point of order. I thought I heard the hon. and gallant Member for Eye (Colonel J. H. Harrison) move the Adjournment of the House. Can we discuss this Motion if the hon. and gallant Member has moved the Motion for the Adjournment?

Mr. Speaker

I do not think that the hon. and gallant Member for Eye (Colonel J. H. Harrison) had that Motion completely phrased and articulated. This Motion is on the Notice Paper.

Sir P. Agnew

This, the first of the two Motions set down to be moved tonight, deals with the situation which arises when there is a vacancy in the office of bishop in a diocese and it is necessary that the essential work of the administration of the diocese should continue. The Measure is entirely one of details which are made to ensure that there is no interruption in the essential work of that administration. They do not, however, deal with one point—the question of the bishop's stipend, which is a matter of temporality not of spirituality and which is reserved to the Crown. At this late hour, I do not wish to detain the House by going into all the details of the Measure.

Sir Cyril Black (Wimbledon)

I beg to second the Motion.

Question put and agreed to.

12.32 a.m.

Sir P. Agnew

I beg to move, That the Guildford Cathedral Measure, 1959, 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. This Measure will come into force as soon as it is possible, which it is hoped it will be in 1960, to consecrate the new building that is rising outside Guildford and is to be the Cathedral Church of Guildford. When that consecration takes place the cathedral status will be taken away from the existing temporary church of Holy Trinity and transferred to the cathedral building of the Holy Spirit, and there will then be set up a dean and chapter for the government of the cathedral.

A feature which I ought to mention is that there will be set up in the scheme under the Cathedrals Measures that will follow the passing of this Measure a college of lay canons so as to preserve the co-operation of the laity in the running and administration of the Cathedral Church of Guildford, although they will not be in themselves members of the dean and chapter.

Sir C. Black

I beg to second the Motion.

Question put and agreed to.