§ CAPTAIN PIM (for Sir EARDLEY Wilmot)

asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, What steps have been taken with regard to the re-issuing of Letters Patent constituting Gibraltar, as before, an Episcopal See, in accordance with the views of the members of the said Church contained in a Memorial to the Colonial Secretary?

§ MR. J. LOWTHER

Numerous proposals have from time to time been made for a re-adjustment of the relations subsisting between the Episcopal See of Gibraltar and the Crown and local Government, among others being the one contained in the Memorial referred to in the Question put by the hon. Gentleman. It may have escaped the recollection of the House that there was a short discussion on this subject some weeks since, in the course of which I pointed out that these difficulties arose out of the action of the late Government through the disestablishment of the Church in Gibraltar, and that Her Majesty's present Government, as I need scarcely remind the House, are in no shape or form responsible for the disestablishment of Churches, in Gibraltar or anywhere else. This, however, being the condition in which we found matters on taking office, there is no present intention of taking any steps in the direction indicated in the Memorial.