7(1)A provision touching doctrinal formulae or the services or ceremonies of the Church of England or the administration of the Sacraments or sacred rites thereof shall, before it is finally approved by the General Synod, be referred to the House of Bishops, and shall be submitted for such final approval in terms proposed by the House of Bishops and not otherwise.E
(2)A provision touching any of the matters aforesaid shall, if the Convocations or either of them or the House of Laity so require, be referred, in the terms proposed by the House of Bishops for final approval by the General Synod, to the two Convocations sitting separately for their provinces and to the House of Laity; and no provision so referred shall be submitted for final approval by the General Synod unless it has been approved, in the terms so proposed, by each House of the two Convocations sitting as aforesaid and by the House of Laity.
(3)The question whether such a reference is required by a Convocation shall be decided by the President and Prolocutor of the Houses of that Convocation, and the Prolocutor shall consult the Standing Committee of the Lower House of Canterbury or, as the case may be, the Assessors of the Lower House of York, and the decision of the President and Prolocutor shall be conclusive:
Provided that if, before such a decision is taken, either House of a Convocation resolves that the provision concerned shall be so referred or both Houses resolve that it shall not be so referred, the resolution or resolutions shall be a conclusive decision that the reference is or is not required by that Convocation.
(4)The question whether such a reference is required by the House of Laity shall be decided by [F1the Chair and Vice-Chair] of that House who shall consult the Standing Committee of that House, and the decision of [F2the Chair and the Vice-Chair] shall be conclusive:
Provided that if, before such a decision is taken, the House of Laity resolves that the reference is or is not required, the resolution shall be a conclusive decision of that question.
(5)Standing Orders of the General Synod shall provide for ensuring that a provision which fails to secure approval on a reference under this Article by each of the four Houses of the Convocations or by the House of Laity of the General Synod is not proposed again in the same or a similar form until a new General Synod comes into being, except that, in the case of objection by one House of one Convocation only, provision may be made for a second reference to the Convocations and, in the case of a second objection by one House only, for reference to the Houses of Bishops and Clergy of the General Synod for approval by a two-thirds majority of the members of each House present and voting, in lieu of such approval by the four Houses aforesaid.
(6)If any question arises whether the requirements of this Article or Standing Orders made thereunder apply to any provision, or whether those requirements have been complied with, it shall be conclusively determined by the Presidents and Prolocutors of the Houses of the Convocations and [F3the Chair and Vice-Chair] of the House of Laity of the General Synod.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in Sch. 2 Art. 7(4) substituted (16.3.2020) by Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2020 (No. 1), ss. 14(2), 16(2) (with s. 16(8))
F2Words in Sch. 2 Art. 7(4) substituted (16.3.2020) by Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2020 (No. 1), ss. 14(5), 16(2) (with s. 16(8))
F3Words in Sch. 2 Art. 7(6) substituted (16.3.2020) by Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2020 (No. 1), ss. 14(2), 16(2) (with s. 16(8))