§ MR. STANLEY LEIGHTON (Shropshire, Oswestry)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there are a number of places of public religious worship, certified as such and exempted by statute from liability to rates, the trust deeds of which are not enrolled in Chancery; and whether there are any means whereby such trust deeds may be inspected by the public or by members of the congregation using such places of worship; and, if not, whether the Government will take into their consideration the expediency of providing the public with an opportunity of inspecting such trust deeds at, reasonable hours?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQUITH,) Fife, E.By Section 7 of the Mortmain and Charitable Uses Act, 1888, enrolment is not necessary, but optional with the trustees, in the case of assurances of land for religious purposes of the class there described. No doubt a considerable number of places of worship come within this exemption. How many it is impossible to say. I am not aware of any means by which the inspection of deeds not enrolled can be compelled, nor does it appear to me to be either practicable or expedient that such inspection shall be made compulsory.