§ 27. Mr. Leighasked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, how many churches have been made redundant in Lincolnshire in the last 10 years.
§ Sir William van StraubenzeeThirty two, Sir.
§ Mr. LeighDoes my hon. Friend think that it would be wise for the Lord Bishop of Lincoln to recall the very large number of Church redundancies before criticising the Government for redundancies elsewhere, just as it might be wise for him to recall that the shop in his own cathedral is open on Sundays before he campaigns against Sunday trading?
§ Sir William van StraubenzeeI admire my hon. Friend's ingenuity. The views of the Bishop of Lincoln on redundancies must be his own. It is worth remembering 619 that the cathedral shop is staffed voluntarily. If the case for sweeping away all restrictions on Sunday trading rests on such flimsy argument, there must be something wrong with it.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursIs not the hon. Gentleman concerned and angered by the repeated attacks on the Church of England by his Conservative colleagues?
§ Sir William van StraubenzeeWhat I think is encouraging, to judge from the record number of questions on the Order Paper, is the widespread interest in the affairs of a vital organisation—the Church of England.