| Definitions |
| 1 |
In this Act - |
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(1) |
'The National Assembly of the Church of England'
(hereinafter called 'the Church Assembly') means the Assembly
constituted in accordance with the constitution set forth
in the Appendix to the Addresses presented to His Majesty
by the Convocations of Canterbury and York on the tenth day
of May nineteen hundred and nineteen, and laid before both
Houses of Parliament; |
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(2) |
'The Constitution' means the Constitution of
the Church Assembly set forth in the Appendix to the Addresses
presented by the Convocations of Canterbury and York to His
Majesty as aforesaid; |
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(3) |
'The Legislative Committee' means the Legislative
Committee of the Church Assembly appointed in accordance
with the provisions of the Constitution; |
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(4) |
'The Ecclesiastical Committee' means the Committee
established as provided in section two of this Act; |
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(5) |
'Measure' means a legislative measure intended
to receive the Royal Assent and to have effect as an Act
of Parliament in accordance with the provisions of this Act. |
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| Establishment of an Ecclesiastical Committee |
| 2 |
(1) |
There
shall be a Committee of members of both Houses of Parliament
styled 'The Ecclesiastical Committee'.
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(2) |
The Ecclesiastical Committee shall consist
of fifteen members of the House of Lords, nominated by the
Lord Chancellor and fifteen members of the House of Commons
nominated by the Speaker of the House of Commons, to be appointed
on the passing of this Act to serve for the duration of the
present Parliament and thereafter to be appointed at the
commencement of each Parliament to serve for the duration
of that Parliament. Any casual vacancy occurring by the reason
of the death, resignation, or incapacity of a member of the
Ecclesiastical Committee shall be filled by the nomination
of a member by the Lord Chancellor or the Speaker of the
House of Commons, as the case may be. |
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(3) |
The powers and duties of the Ecclesiastical
Committee may be exercised and discharged by any twelve members
thereof, and the Committee shall be entitled to sit and to
transact business whether Parliament be sitting or not, and
notwithstanding to vacancy in the membership of the Committee.
Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Ecclesiastical
Committee may regulate its own procedure. |
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| Measures passed by Church Assembly to be submitted
to Ecclesiastical Committee |
| 3 |
(1) |
Every
measure passed by the Church Assembly shall be submitted
by the Legislative Committee to the Ecclesiastical Committee,
together with such comments and explanations as the Legislative
Committee may deem it expedient or be directed by the Church
Assembly to add.
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(2) |
The Ecclesiastical Committee shall thereupon
consider the measure so submitted to it, and may, at any
time during such consideration, either of its own motion
or at the request of the Legislative Committee, invite the
Legislative Committee to a conference to discuss the provisions
thereof, and thereupon a conference of the two committees
shall be held accordingly. |
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(3) |
After considering the measure, the Ecclesiastical
Committee shall draft a report thereon to Parliament stating
the nature and legal effect of the measure and its views
as to the expediency thereof, especially with relation to
the constitutional rights of all His Majesty's subjects. |
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(4) |
The Ecclesiastical Committee shall communicate
its report in draft to the Legislative Committee, but shall
not present it to Parliament until the Legislative Committee
signify its desire that it should be so presented. |
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(5) |
At any time before the presentation of the
report to Parliament the Legislative Committee may, either
on its own motion or by direction of the Church Assembly,
withdraw a measure from further consideration by the Ecclesiastical
Committee; but the Legislative Committee shall have no power
to vary a measure of the Church Assembly either before or
after conference with the Ecclesiastical Committee. |
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(6) |
A measure may relate to any matter concerning
the Church of England, and may extend to the amendment or
repeal in whole or in part of any Act of Parliament, including
this Act: Provided that a measure shall not make any alteration
in the composition or powers or duties of the Ecclesiastical
Committee, or in the procedure in Parliament prescribed by
section four of this Act. |
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(7) |
No proceedings of the Church Assembly in relation
to a measure shall be invalidated by any vacancy in the membership
of the Church Assembly or by any defect in the qualification
or election of any member thereof. |
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| Procedure on measures reported on by the Ecclesiastical
Committee |
| 4. |
When the Ecclesiastical Committee shall have
reported to Parliament on any measure submitted by the Legislative
Committee, the report, together with the text of such measure,
shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament forthwith,
if Parliament be then sitting, or, if not, then immediately
after the next meeting of Parliament, and thereupon, on a
resolution being passed by each House of Parliament directing
that such measure in the form laid before Parliament should
be presented to His Majesty, such measure shall be presented
to His Majesty, and shall have the force and effect of an
Act of Parliament on the Royal Assent being signified thereto
in the same manner as to Acts of Parliament:
Provided that, if upon a measure being laid before Parliament the Chairman of
Committees of the House of Lords and the Chairman of Ways and Means in the House
of Commons acting in consultation, shall be of opinion that the measure deals
with two or more different subjects which might be more properly divided, they
may, by joint agreement, divide the measure into two or more separate measures
accordingly, and thereupon this section shall have effect as if each of the measures
resulting from such division had been laid before Parliament as a separate measure. |
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