No, the spacing between the staffs in the typeset score is set by the
LilyPond typesetter, the problem is that the part-combining is being
done without allowing for the case where there are lyrics - the voices
are being combined into a single voice and*that* voice doesn't have
any lyrics.
Attached is an example which does what you want by replacing the score
layout (the part of the LilyPond typesetting text that says which
staffs should go where etc) with one which has been hand-modified to do
what you want.
If you open the View->LilyPond window and scroll down to the bottom you
can see in the last section the hand-written score layout.
Unfortunately, to use this solution you would need to edit this section
for your particular score, as the titles, key signatures, etc are also
in this section.
If you are not too intimidated by seeing the LilyPond text I can guide
you through editing the score layout for your particular scores - just
ask (on the list - others listen-in and want to know how to do stuff!).
Richard
This is the bit of the score layout that I edited:
\score { %Start of Movement
<<
%Start of Staff
\new Staff = "Part 1" \with { printPartCombineTexts = ##f } <<
\partcombine {
\clef treble
\key c \major
\time 3/4 \MvmntIVoiceI
}
\MvmntIVoiceII
>> %End of Staff
\new Lyrics \MvmntIVoiceILyricsVerseI
\new Lyrics \MvmntIVoiceIILyricsVerseI
%Start of Staff
\new Staff = "voice3" \with { printPartCombineTexts = ##f } <<
\partcombine {
\clef bass
\key c \major
\time 3/4
\MvmntIVoiceIII
}
\MvmntIVoiceIV
>> %End of Staff
\new Lyrics \MvmntIVoiceIIILyricsVerseI
\new Lyrics \MvmntIVoiceIVLyricsVerseI
>>
} %End of Movement
49wecriedgodheard_partcombined.denemo