§ 5.46 p.m.
§ THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY rose to move, That in acordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the House of Laity (Postponement of Election) Measure, 1939, be presented to His Majesty for the Royal Assent. The most reverend Primate said: My Lords, I beg to move the Motion that stands in my name. It is a very simple matter. The Constitution of the Church Assembly and the rules attaching to the Representation of the Laity Measure lay it down that elections to the House of Laity in that Assembly shall take place every five years. This would mean, according to these provisions, that the elections would be held in 1940, but the Assembly has decided that it is not desirable that these elections should be held during this state of emergency. It would mean that interest in the elections would be distinctly lacking, that many of those who are engaged in various branches of national service would decline to stand as candidates, and, above all, that over a long period of time the Assembly would be deprived of those whose presence we most desire—that is, 268 the younger men who quite certainly would be engaged on national service. For these reasons, the Assembly desires that the elections should be postponed, but inasmuch as the holding of them every five years is laid down in legislative enactments, it is necessary to obtain legislative sanction. The Measure is entirely uncontroversial. It passed through the Assembly last November without a single division, and in all its stages. It has been approved by the Ecclesiastical Committee of Parliament. Therefore I hope it will receive your Lordships' ready assent. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the House of Laity (Postponement of Election) Measure, 1939, be presented to His Majesty for the Royal Assent.—(The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.