The remaining three Bills before this year's General Synod have been given their first and second readings.  Final readings of all six Bills, with a view to formal approval, will take place on the third day of the Synod session.

Bill No 4:  Proposing Bill No 4, the Rt Rev Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, told the General Synod that the Bill had arisen out of a widely perceived need to reduce the timeline for setting levels of Minimum Approved Stipends (MAS) for clergy.  Whilst the timeline had perhaps historically been unproblematic, the Bishop explained, in the context of the more rapidly changing economic climate of the present day, the potential for "unfairness, inaccuracy and impractical outcomes" associated with the existing timeline made this an issue that now needed to be addressed.  The Bill seeks to shift the timelines for the MAS approval process in order to reduce the lead time for implementation of annual MAS decisions from seven to three months, allowing more up-to-date information to be used in arriving at stipend levels. In order to achieve this reduction in lead time, the General Synod is asked to authorise the Standing Commitee to approve MAS decisions on its behalf at its September meeting.

Bill No 5:  A companion to Bill No 4, Bill No 5 seeks to amend the process for setting Pensionable Stipend levels in a similar way to the changes proposed in relation to Minimum Approved Stipends.

Bill No 6: Proposed by the Very Rev Patrick Rooke, Dean of Armagh, Bill No 6 seeks to amend the provisions relating to the regulation and management of the Cathedral Church of St Patrick, Armagh.  Proposing the Bill, the Dean told members of Synod that the legislation was intended to address a number of practical issues in areas including the appointment of members of the Cathedral Board and Chapter and the realignment of election timeframes.  The Bill also includes proposals to provide for the appointment of Ecumenical Canons, a Succentor and two Cathedral Wardens.  Canon Lady Sheil informed the Synod that a small technical amendment to the Bill was required and would be brought on the third day of Synod.