HL Deb 31 May 1894 vol 25 cc1-3
THE EARL OF POWIS

asked the Lord Chancellor whether any benefices to which the right of presentation was vested in the Lord Chancellor had been sold in Wales or Monmouth under the Act of 1863 (26th and 27th Vict., chap, cxx.); and, if so, whether he would state which benefices had been sold under the Act, when they were sold, and at how many years purchase, and what was the amount of the purchase money in each case?

THE LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord HERSCHELL)

My Lords, in reply to the question which the noble Earl has placed on the Paper, I have to state that under the Act to which he refers the first sale took place in 1864 and the last in June, 1866. All the particulars with regard to them are contained in a Return printed by Order of this House, dated 10th March, 1890, which gives the names of all benefices sold under the Act, the dates of sale, and the purchase monies. Probably that will give the noble Earl all he requires, but if there is any further information that he desires I shall endeavour to give it him. I ought to point out that with regard to all the livings except those sold under Section 23 of the Act, as was pointed out by the Lord Chancellor at the time, the transaction cannot be regarded, properly speaking, as a sale for the purchase money for this reason, that the whole of the purchase money went in augmentation of the living. So that it was for the person to whom it was transferred an addition by augmentation to the living. As regards sales where that was not so, the money was applied to the living. Under the 23rd section it went to the augmentation of the living transferred.

THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY

Will the Paper distinguish those which are in England from those in Wales—though generally one can tell a Welsh name on seeing it? I do not know whether the Return would show that.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR, (Lord HERSCHELL)

If the Paper does not indicate it there will be no difficulty in giving the noble Earl the Return of those in Wales.

EARL STANHOPE

asked the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack whether the Return of 1890 alluded to gave any details of the number of years' purchase of those livings? It was very desirable, in view of the Bill pending in the other House, that that point should be brought out.

LORD HERSCHELL

It gives the income and the purchase money, and of course the relation that one bears to the other can easily be seen.