§ 21. Mr. KINGasked the Secretary of State for India if he will state the total amount of the Grants (including the value of sites wholly or partially given or sold for an inadequate price) made by the Government of India from the general revenues of the Empire since 1905 for the erection, restoration, and repair of places of worship in connection with the Church of England, and of railway churches consecrated and reserved for the services of the Church of England; the total amount similarly spent on Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Wesleyan, and other Protestant churches; and the total amount, if any, spent on the erection, restoration, and repair of places of worship for non-Christian communities?
Mr. ROBERTSThe hon Member has, I believe, received copies of the Returns furnished by the Government of India, in compliance with his request for information. The aggregate Grants made by the 458 Government of India from 1905 to 1913, the date of the Return, towards the cost of erection of churches were, in round figures: Church of England churches, £14,000; Anglican railway churches, £7,500; Roman Catholic churches, £13,000; Presbyterian churches, £20,500; Wesleyan churches, £1,000; other Protestant churches, £17,500. Particulars of Grants subsequent to the date of the Return towards cost of erection of churches, and particulars regarding Grants for restoration and repair, are not at present available. This also applies to the particulars asked for of Grants made towards non-Christian places of worship. The Government of India state that the collection of these particulars from the local Governments would require considerable time and labour, and in existing circumstances I have not thought it desirable to press for their compilation.
§ Sir J. D. REESWill the hon. Gentleman consider whether the supplementary question which I put just now is not relevant to this question also, and whether an answer is not necessary since the trend of these questions misrepresents the whole policy of the Government of India?
Mr. ROBERTSThis question, if it arises out of the question on the Paper, should be addressed to the Secretary of State.
§ Mr. KINGWill the hon. Gentleman convey to the Secretary of State the extreme perturbation with which my questions have been received by the hon. Member for East Nottingham (Sir J. D. Rees)?