§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENasked the right hon. Member for Morpeth, as Chairman of the Public Petitions Committee, if he can state the number of petitions presented for and against the Established Church (Wales) Bill, and also the number of signatures; and whether, in the case of petitioners which have infringed the rule that the prayer must appear on each separate sheet, the names so infringing the rule have not been counted?
§ Mr. BURTEight thousand six hundred and sixty petitions, containing 2,108,298 signatures, have been presented against the Established Church (Wales) Bill. Two petitions, containing two signatures, have been presented in favour of the Bill. The rule is that in no case are any signatures to a petition counted unless the prayer appears at the head of the sheet on which the names are signed. There are some642W instances, however, in which that rule has been contravened and the names have been counted.