§ 24. Mr. Chapmanasked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, how many churches, within the responsibility of the Church Commissioners, with the equivalent grading to secular listed buildings, have been demolished.
§ The Second Church Estates Commissioner, Representing the Church Commissioners (Sir William van Straubenzee)The total number of listed redundant churches which have been demolished since 1969 is 53. Of these, 11 were ungraded, 21 in grade C, 20 in grade B and 1 in grade A. In none of these cases was demolition opposed by the Advisory Board for Redundant Churches.
§ Mr. ChapmanI thank my hon. Friend for that information and welcome the fact that only one grade A church has been demolished since 1969. Can my hon. Friend confirm that the Church Commissioners use every practicable means and take every possible care to find alternative uses for churches that are made redundant, and that demolition is permitted only if there is no practical economic alternative to saving them?
§ Sir William van StraubenzeeYes, and that is why, as my hon. Friend will recall, when I answered his 14 question on 7 March about the same period I was able to show him that 53 per cent. of such churches had been put to new uses, 20 per cent. preserved and only 27 per cent. demolished.
§ Mr. Frank FieldGiven the importance of the ecclesiastical exemption from planning law, will the hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that he will seek to persuade the Leader of the House that we should debate in the House the jurisdiction report which was published last week?
§ Sir William van StraubenzeeI know that the hon. Gentleman understands that matters concerning debates in the House are not for me. Presumably that report NA, ill first be debated by the General Synod. I am sure that the powers that be in the House will have heard what the hon. Gentleman has said.
§ Mr. Beaumont-DarkIs it not meant to be the case that the Church was founded on God and not God upon the Church? Would it not be better if redundant churches were demolished, instead of being kept as useless monuments, and the money used to keep the Church in being?
§ Sir William van StraubenzeeWith respect to my hon. Friend, a large number of people would deeply regret the injury to our heritage if some of our architectural jewels, which are the inheritance of the Church, were demolished. I do, however, see that a balance should be kept in all these matters.