CHURCH COMMISSIONERS MEASURE (Hansard, 15 December 1970)

THE LORD BISHOP OF LONDON

My Lords, I beg to move that this House do direct that, in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919, the Church Commissioners Measure be presented to Her Majesty for the Royal Assent. This is a very modest little Measure but one of considerable importance to the Church Commissioners. Basically it provides for up to two additional members of the General Purposes Committee and of the Assets Committee of the Church Commissioners. The reason for the change is that experience has shown that a committee of five, which is the present size of the Assets Committee, 1281 is too small to handle the very considerable and increasing volume of work which is connected with the assets of the Church Commissioners. As to the General Purposes Committee, although that is larger—it contains some eleven members—nevertheless, its work also is increasing and it seemed appropriate to ask for the addition at this time.

We have to put this proposal in the form of a Measure requiring legislation, because both these Committees are statutory bodies and no change can be made in their constitution without an amending Measure. The Measure was prepared by the Church Commissioners; it has passed through all its stages in the Church Assembly without a division and the Ecclesiastical Committee has reported on it that it is expedient and should proceed. My Lords, I beg to move.