§ Mr. ARTHUR HENDERSONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether there is any provision in the Established Church (Wales) Bill safeguarding the stipends of curates as well the stipends of incumbents; and, if not, whether he is prepared to consider an Amendment to meet this object?
§ Mr. McKENNAPowers are given to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners under the Bill to transfer to the Disestablished Church the Grants which they make at present towards the provision of curates. If the stipend is an interest in or a charge on the benefice, it is safeguarded under the Bill.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Home Secretary if he will state what is the value of the glebe, and how was it acquired, in the parishes of Dolwyddelan and Beddgelert; and what is the amount of tithe comprised in the Endowments of each such parish?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe gross value of the glebe for the parish of Dolwyddelan is £33 a year, and for the parish of Beddgelert, £90 a year. In both cases the glebe is derived from Grants made by the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty out of their Royal Bounty Fund. The amount of tithe comprised in the Endowments of Beddgelert is £56 a year. There appears to be no tithe belonging to Dolwyddelan.
§ Mr. KINGasked the Home Secretary whether he has considered the cases of the forty-five parishes in Wales, each with less than ten communicants, attached to certain of which there are Endowments; and whether, having regard to the needs of populous places in Wales with no Endowment, he will insert provisions in the Established Church (Wales) Bill whereby incumbents of parishes with few communicants, or none at all, may be allowed to retain their life interests if transferred to more populous districts?
§ Mr. McKENNAAs I stated in the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend last Thursday, all parishes in Wales will be treated similarly under the Established Church (Wales) Bill irrespective of the number of communicants. Of course, it will be within the power of the representative body to make any new arrangements as regards the property handed over to it under the provisions of the Bill.
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§ Mr. KINGasked the Home Secretary whether he has considered the number of parishes in Wales, which are shown by the Royal Commission to be 100 in number, in each of which there are less than twenty communicants in the Established Church; and whether the Endowments attached to many of these parishes will be subject to special treatment under the Established Church (Wales) Bill?
§ Mr. McKENNASuch provisions are already in the Bill. I would refer my hon. Friend to Clause 14.