MR. HERBERT (Buckinghamshire, Wycombe)To ask the Secretary of State for India how many churches in India, for the use of troops, have been built either wholly or partly out of funds provided by the Government, respectively, or upon land provided by the Government; how many such churches are maintained either wholly or partly out of funds provided by the Government; in how many cases such churches are, owing to consecration, either not available, or only available with the consent of a bishop, for the free use of all troops of any denomination for the time being stationed where such churches are; whether any person, other than the Secretary of State, can prevent the equal use of any such church by troops of any denomination; and whether he will take measures to prevent any such exclusion in future; or if in the circumstances of any case that is not feasible, whether he will in future refuse any grant of public money to any church which is not equally available for troops of any religious denomination.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) I am unable, without reference to the Government of India, to give the statistics asked for. The effect of consecration is fully explained in the Papers presented to Parliament in 1900 (Cd. Paper 129); it makes the consent of the bishop necessary for the use of the church by any denomination other than Anglicans. As regards the future, measures have been already taken to prevent inconvenience arising from consecration, as I explained in my Answer on the 21st May to the Question (No. 63) of the hon. Member for Roxburghshire.†Churches built wholly or partially at the public expense are not allowed to be consecrated except
†See (4) Debates, clvii., 929, 930.1118 where separate provision exists for other than Anglican services; and, being un-consecrated, are available for use by all denominations.