§ EARL BEAUCHAMPMy Lords, I wish to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether he has received the Report of the Committee appointed to consider amendments of the Ancient Monuments Act, and if he would consent to have it printed for public circulation.
THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (THE EARL OF CRAWFORD)My Lords, I have received the Report of the Committee, and shall have much pleasure in giving instructions for it to be printed 659 and circulated. I desire to take this opportunity of expressing my thanks to the noble Lord who presided over that Committee, and to his colleagues, for the admirable Report. which they have prepared. The matters referred to them for advice sand report were particularly difficult to decide. In some respects they were very controversial, especially as regards ecclesiastical buildings, concerning which much misapprehension existed, many persons having formed the erroneous opinion that my Department desired to withdraw the custody of the sacred edifices from the authorities of the Church. The publication of the Report will, I hope, prove most reassuring in that respect.