House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualification) Act 2001

Removal of disqualification of clergy

1

• (1) A person is not disqualified from being or being elected as a member of the House of Commons merely because he has been ordained or is a minister of any religious denomination.

• (2) But a person is disqualified from being or being elected as a member of that House if he is a Lord Spiritual.

• (3) Accordingly—

• (a) Schedule 1 (which makes amendments consequential on this section) has effect, and

• (b) the enactments mentioned in Schedule 2 (which relate to the disqualification of clergy from membership of the House of Commons) are repealed to the extent specified in that Schedule.

Short title and extent

2

• (1) This Act may be cited as the House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualification) Act 2001.

• (2) Any amendment contained in Schedule 1 or repeal contained in Schedule 2 has the same extent as the enactment to which it relates.

• (3) Subject to that, this Act extends to Northern Ireland.

SCHEDULE 1

House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 (c. 24)

1

In section 1 of the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 (disqualification of holders of certain offices and places), in subsection (1), before paragraph (a) insert—

(za) is a Lord Spiritual;

.

European Parliamentary Elections Act 1978 (c. 10)

2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Government of Wales Act 1998 (c. 38)

3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46)

4

In section 16 of the Scotland Act 1998 (exceptions and relief from disqualification from membership of the Parliament), in subsection (1), for paragraph (b) substitute—

(b) he is a Lord Spiritual.

Northern Ireland Act 1998 (c. 47)

5

In section 36 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (disqualification from membership of the Assembly), in subsection (6) (exception for peers and clergy), for paragraph (b) substitute—

(b) he is a Lord Spiritual.

SCHEDULE 2

Removal of disqualification of clergy

Editorial notes

[^c887422]: Sch. 1 para. 2 repealed (24.10.2002) by 2002 c. 24, ss. 16, 18(2), Sch. 4

[^c2011495]: Sch. 1 para. 3 repealed by Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32), s. 163, Sch. 12 (with Sch. 11 para. 22), the amending provision coming into force immediately after "the 2007 election" (held on 3.5.2007) subject to s. 161(4)(5) of the amending Act, which provides for certain provisions to come into force for specified purposes immediately after the end of "the initial period" (which ended with the day of the first apppointment of a First Minister on 25.5.2007) - see ss. 46, 161(1)(4)(5) of the amending Act.