HC Deb 05 March 1936 vol 309 cc1564-5
72. Mr. THURTLE

asked the Minister of Agriculture what was the gross annual value of tithe rentcharge charged on lands in private lay ownership at December, 1934; and what percentage this is of the total tithe rentcharge in existence at that date?

Mr. ELLIOT

According to the Report of the Royal Commission on Tithe Rent-charge, the amount of tithe rentcharge, par value, in the ownership of colleges, hospitals, charities, and private lay owners, in 1934, was approximately £532,598, or 17.1 per cent. Of the total tithe rentcharge. No precise figures are available as to the amount of tithe rent-charge owned by private individuals as distinct from the other bodies which I have named.

Mr. THURTLE

Is it not possible to get the figure which is in private lay ownership, and may I take it that those figures were all submitted to the Royal Commission that investigated that matter and it ought therefore to be possible to get this particular figure?

Mr. ELLIOT

The Royal Commission's Report gave the figure for the Colleges and University of Oxford and the Colleges and University of Cambridge, but the precise figure is not set out.

Mr. THURTLE

Would the Minister be good enough to make inquiries in order to see if it is possible to get the figure?

Mr. ELLIOT

I will make what inquiries are possible.

73. Mr. ACLAND

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will arrange, before any discussion on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Tithes takes place, for a full statement to be made showing all the sources of income available at present to the Church of England and the precise directions in which this income is expended?

Mr. ELLIOT

I fear that it would not be possible for a Government statement to be made on the lines suggested by the hon. Member. I would, however, refer him to the annual reports of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and of Queen Anne's Bounty and the Official Year-Book of the Church of England, which contain certain information on this subject. The Report of the Arshbishop's Commission on Church Property and Finance published in 1924 contains, I am informed, a full statement of income and expenditure of the Church of England. This report was published by the Press and Publications Board of the Church Assembly.