THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWNsaid, he wished to ask the noble and learned Lord (the Lord Chancellor) a Question of which he had given him private Notice. The right rev. Prelate the Bishop of Lincoln had given Notice of his intention to move, on the 12th instant—
That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying Her Majesty to withhold Her assent from a portion of the Statutes which have been laid upon the Table relating to Lincoln College, Oxford.The Question he desired to ask was, Whether the 50th clause of the University Act of 1817 permitted a Member of Parliament to move the rejection 1919 of a part only of a Statute which had been laid upon the Table?
THE LORD CHANCELLOR,in reply, said, he was not sorry his noble Friend had asked this Question. The right rev. Pre-late had asked his (the Lord Chancellor's) opinion on the subject; and he gave it as his opinion that it was competent for any Member of either House to move the rejection of a part of a Statute which had been laid before Parliament. But since his noble Friend gave him Notice of his intention to ask this Question, he had looked at the words of the Statute, and he was now disposed to think that his first opinion was erroneous, and that it was not permissible to move the rejection of a part of a Statute.
THE ARCHIBISHOP OF CANTERBURY,who had given Notice of the Motion for the 12th instant, on behalf of the right rev. Prelate (the Bishop of Lincoln), said, he would take care that his right rev. Brother was informed of the opinion now expressed by the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack.
THE EARL OF CARNARVONsaid, that, although the course proposed to be taken by the right rev. Prelate was not permissible, he thought it would be open to him to bring in a Motion to reject the whole of the Statutes for the particular College referred to.