§ Mr. Squireasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to amend the law to provide that, in the case of exemption from rates of a building other than a domestic building, owned by a religious organisation, the test of such a building shall be that it is owned by a religious organisation which is a registered charity, and not that it is designated as such a building by signs outside the premises.
§ Mr. KingNo. The provision providing relief from rates for places of religious worship is not as described by my hon. Friend. Section 39 of the General Rate Act 1967 provides, essentially, for an exemption from rating for
places of public religious worship which belong to the Church of England or to the Church of Wales … or which are for the time being certified as required by law as places of religious worship".I am aware that there is currently a case before the courts that concerns the interpretation of this provision. I shall pay attention to those proceedings and their outcome.