HL Deb 05 May 1937 vol 105 cc175-6

EARL GREY moved to resolve, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the House of Laity (Co-opted Members) Measure, 1937, be presented to His Majesty for the Royal Assent. The noble Earl said: The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury has asked me to apologise for his absence. He has been called away to another engagement and has asked me to take his place in moving the Motion which stands in his name. This is a very simple Measure providing that the House of Laity in the Church Assembly, which numbers at present 343, should be allowed to be increased by ten co-opted members. It provides also that nobody shall be co-opted except by the unanimous vote of the Standing Committee of the Church Assembly. It further provides that any person who is so co-opted shall be a member of the House Assembly only for the term of that particular House.

There are really two main reasons why it was deemed wise to pass this Measure in the Church Assembly. It was moved by Lord Selborne, Chairman of the House of Laity, who felt very strongly that it would be wise to make better provision for the representation of your Lordships' House and of the House of Commons in the Church Assembly so as to preserve better liaison between that body and Parliament. It was also felt that there are certain official persons, the First Church Estates Commissioner, the Treasurer of Queen Anne's Bounty, and the Chairman of the Pensions Board whose presence in the Church Assembly is really necessary if many Measures are to be adequately discussed there. As it is not always easy or possible for those persons to secure election at the time when their presence is required, this Measure was moved and passed through all its stages in the Church Assembly. There was a certain amount of opposition to it in the House of Laity at the stage of final approval, arising from the fear that it might diminish the representative character of that House, but inasmuch as only ten members can be co-opted and the House numbers already 343 lay members, that opposition was not considered to be very material. I beg to move.

Moved to resolve, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the House of Laity (Co-opted Members) Measure, 1937, be presented to His Majesty for the Royal Assent.—(Earl Grey.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.