§ THE LORD BISHOP OF ST. EDMUNDSBURY AND IPSWICH moved to resolve, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, This House do direct that the Ecclesiastical Commissioners (Powers) Measure, 1938, be presented to His Majesty for the Royal Assent. The right reverend Prelate said: My Lords, I beg to move the second Resolution, which is of ad similar character. This measure gives certain additional powers to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners of a miscellaneous character, all of which are enumerated in the somewhat long Title. One is that they should be the sole authority to regulate marriage and birth fees in connection with all the parish churches of the country, and to insist on tables of such fees being exhibited where necessary. There is a provision which enables the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, with the consent of the Lords of the Treasury, to increase the stipends payable to the First and Third Estates Commissioners up to a certain limit. They have at present only the stipends which were paid in 1850. There has been no increase since. Then there are several provisions which mainly centre round a provision by which the Ecclesiastical Commission propose to do what Queen Anne's Bounty has already done—namely, when they have to make payments to incumbents, to make them by quarterly payments and to consolidate the payments which have to be made, and to consolidate certain deductions which have to be made, so equalising the payments. It is again a matter of a domestic character which has received the full 134 approval of the Church Assembly, and is endorsed by the Ecclesiastical Committee.
§ Moved, to resolve, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, This House do direct that the Ecclesiastical Commissioners (Powers) Measure, 1938, be presented to His Majesty for the Royal Assent.—(The Lord Bishop of St. Edmundsbury and Ipswich.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.