THE Synod went on to revise Draft Amending Canon No. 35.

The Bishop of Sodor & Man, the Rt Revd Robert Paterson, explained that this simple one-sentence Amending Canon was designed to give effect to a Southwell & Nottingham diocesan-synod motion agreed by the Synod in November 2012.

The Amending Canon would change Canon B12.3 (Of the Ministry of the Holy Communion), which currently reads: "No person shall distribute the holy sacrament of the Lord's Supper to the people unless he shall have been ordained in accordance with the provisions of Canon C1, or is otherwise authorized by Canon or unless he has been specially authorized to do so by the bishop acting under such regulations as the General Synod may make from time to time."

If approved, the Canon would end: "authorized to do so in accordance with such regulations as the General Synod may make from time to time".

Clive Scowen (London) asked for clarification that time for representations for the regulations had not expired.

The Revd Hugh Lee (Oxford) said that there should be "some way in which the norm should be that we are given the whole package at once" to prevent the Synod from "being in the dark about what we are voting for".

Bishop Paterson said that the House of Bishops would consider the Regulations at its meeting in May, and he urged Synod members to "get their suggestions in as soon as possible".

The motion that the paragraph stand part of the Measure was clearly carried. In light of its simplicity, the steering committee had decided that there would not be a revision stage and the Draft Amending Canon was referred to the House of Bishops.