§ Mr. Philip Whitehead (Derby, North)With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I beg to present a humble petition on behalf of my constituent the Venerable Robert Dell, Archdeacon of Derby. Archdeacon Dell petitions this honourable House to repeal the House of Commons (Clergy Disqualification) Act 1801 which was passed to effect the retrospective disqualification of a Member of this honourable House, the Rev. Horne Tooke, the great radical pamphleteer of those days. Archdeacon Dell draws the attention of the House to the fact that opinion within the Church of England has substantially changed in recent times as shown by a vote in the General Synod. The petitioners pray
that your honourable House do repeal the House of Commons (Clergy Disqualification) Act 1801 and other relevant Acts and end the injustice of these laws.And, as in duty bound, your Petitioners will ever pray.
§ To lie upon the Table.