CLERGY PENSIONS (AMENDMENT) MEASURE. (Hansard, 30 July 1928)

THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY

My Lords, I now beg to move to resolve, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the Clergy Pensions (Amendment) Measure, be presented to His Majesty for the Royal Assent. This Measure is yet more technical than the one to which I have just referred, and contains a vast number of details. It is really an amendment of the Measure that was passed a little while ago arranging for clergy pensions. The first year of the working of 1417 the Measure revealed unexpected difficulties and all kinds of pitfalls into which those who had to administer the Act might fall and which could not be accurately foreseen. Such things, for instance, as this. A man has been paying premiums for a pension for many years, then works for a time abroad and comes back; what is to happen with regard to the time that he has been abroad? and so on. The matter is exceedingly technical and full of difficulty, but this Measure has been gone through with great care, and it is an amendment which I am quite sure is desired. In this case, too, the Ecclesiastical Committee of Parliament has recommended that the Measure should go forward for the Royal Assent. The Committee most wisely and rightly, as I think, says it will be a good thing, when this Measure becomes law, if there could be a Consolidation Measure which would prevent the necessity of having more than one Pensions Act to deal with. So far as I am concerned, I would further the passing of such a Consolidation Measure as early as possible. There is really no controversy about this Measure, but the technicalities are such that I hope your Lordships will pardon me if I do not go into them in detail.