§ 5.43 p.m.
§ THE LORD BISHOP OF CHESTER rose to move to resolve, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the Incumbents (Discipline) and Church Dignitaries (Retirement) Amendment Measure, 1953, be presented to Her Majesty for the Royal Assent. The right reverend Prelate said: My Lords, this Measure is rather more technical in its details, but I hope that I shall be able to make it perfectly clear. During the years 1947 to 1951, the Church Assembly passed three Measures which subsequently received the Royal Assent, and which provided for action when charges of misbehaviour or neglect which did not fall within the operation of the then existing law were made against an incumbent, a church dignitary or a Bishop. It will be seen from the relevant provisions of these three Measures—they are quoted in the Report of the Ecclesiastical Committee; your Lordships will find them on pages 5 and 6 of the Report—that in so far as they relate to social or political opinions or activities there is at present a difference between them. Briefly, this difference is as follows.
§ The Incumbents (Discipline) Measure precludes proceedings under the heading of either unbecoming conduct or neglect of duty in respect of social or political opinions, but it does not mention activities. The Church Dignitaries Measure precludes proceedings under either head in respect of either opinions or activities. The Bishops' Retirement Measure precludes proceedings under the head of 300 unbecoming conduct in respect of either opinions or activities, although proceedings under the heading of neglect of duty can be brought in respect of social or political activities, but not in respect of opinions. The reason for this distinction is that a man may devote so much time to his social or political activities that he is unable to perform his duties properly. I hope that I have made it clear that the object of the Measure now before your Lordships, which is revisionary in character, is to bring the relevant portions of those three Measures into conformity with one another in this respect. Putting it bluntly, the Bishops are treated on exactly the same lines as Church dignitaries and parish priests. This Measure has been favourably reported upon by the Ecclesiastical Committee, and was passed by the Church Assembly without any Division at all. I therefore beg to move that it be presented to Her Majesty for the Royal Assent.
§ Moved to resolve, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the Incumbents (Discipline) and Church Dignitaries (Retirement) Amendment Measure, 1953, be presented to Her Majesty for the Royal Assent.—(The Lord Bishop of Chester.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to, and ordered accordingly.