§ 2.48 p.m.
LORD MERTHYRMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how many "opinions officially expressed by any Church or other Christian body" they have so far received under the further proviso to Section 2(2) of the Easter Act 1928.]
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, no such body has made representations on this subject to the present Government. But we have been in touch with the British Council of Churches, who in April, 1964, requested the World Council of Churches to enter into consultations with the Vatican with a view to securing worldwide agreement among the Christian Churches to a fixed date for Easter. We understand that the World Council has decided to send out a questionnaire on the subject to all member Churches throughout the world.
LORD MERTHYRMy Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord. May I ask him, in view of the fact that it is now 37 years since this Act was passed, whether Her Majesty's present Government will put it into force?
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, I have given that matter consideration and think that the best thing would be to wait one more year or so. We do not want to be the only country in Western Christendon with a fixed date for Easter. This questionnaire was sent out last July, I think, and perhaps by this time next year there will be replies. The Roman Catholic Church has almost agreed, provided that all the other Churches do; at a meeting at Frankfurt in August, 1964, the Presbyterian Alliance, representing 50 million people, agreed subject to other Churches agreeing; the Church of Scotland agreed, subject to other Churches agreeing. So all the Churches seem to agree provided that the other Churches agree. Perhaps I might point out to the noble Lord that in future the early summer Bank Holiday will be on the last Monday in May. In 1966 it happens that it falls according to the usual rules for Easter, but in 1967 it will be on May 29. Therefore there is 294 some move being made here. Whit Monday will cease to be related to a Bank holiday and to the time of Easter itself.
LORD MERTHYRMy Lords, would the noble Lord agree that there is not a word in the Act about obtaining agreement of all religious bodies?
§ LORD BOWLESYes, my Lords; I do agree, because I have the Act here. What it says is that this should come into operation by an Order in Council but it directs that before an Order was made due regard should be had
to any opinion officially expressed on behalf of any Church or other Christian body.
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords the position about Good Friday, so far as I understand it, is that Good Friday is usually regarded as a Bank Holiday, but it is not a statutory holiday. It is, of course, two days before Easter Sunday and three days before Easter Monday.