Church of England Marriage Measure

My Lords, the purpose of this short measure has been well explained by the right reverend Prelate and I do not wish to add to anything that he said. He was not able to be present himself at the Ecclesiastical Committee meeting when we considered the measure, but we had a full discussion there and many questions were asked. It seemed to me that all were satisfactorily answered by the legislative committee under the leadership of the right reverend Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, and the Dean of the Arches. In the end, we were satisfied that the measure is expedient and therefore I support the Motion proposed by the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Winchester—that being the test, as I think we all know, that we have to apply. I would add only that I am always impressed—I think I speak for all members of the Ecclesiastical Committee here—by the time spent and care taken by the legislative committee and the Synod, generally and in its various committees, in preparing measures for our consideration. I sometimes wish that Parliament was able to consider legislation with the same timescale and degree of care as they do. This short measure was a good example of that; it had only three substantive clauses, yet the comments and explanations extend to some 38 pages of type. We are grateful to the legislative committee for what it does. Meanwhile, I beg to support the Motion.