HC Deb 25 October 1999 vol 336 cc707-8W
Mr. Quinn

To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the conclusions of Pastoral Measure 1983 Whitby St. John Proposed Pastoral Scheme published on 21 September (Ref. PR43/401), setting out how the views of the Whitby Anglican Community have been taken into account by the Commissioners and detailing the method of appeal to the Commissioners against this decision. [95100]

Mr. Stuart Bell

The draft scheme under the Pastoral Measure 1983 proposing the closure of the church of St. John, Whitby was, as with all such schemes, served on, inter alia, the relevant incumbent, team vicar, pcc, archdeacon and rural dean. It was also published in the Whitby Gazette and Middlesbrough Evening Gazette and displayed on the door of the churches of St. Mary, Whitby; St. John, Whitby; and St. Hilda, Whitby. It was open to anyone to make representations and the statement of 21 September 1999 to which my hon. Friend refers sets out who made representations in favour of the scheme and who made representations against. My hon. Friend will have noted that there were views for and against among Whitby churchgoers. An earlier identical draft scheme (which had to be withdrawn when procedural flaws in the diocesan consultations came to light) was the subject of a visit to Whitby by a Sub-Committee of the Commissioners' Pastoral Committee. On that occasion, the Sub-Committee met the incumbent, the Whitby pcc and the St. John's congregation.

All views were most carefully taken into account but ultimately the Commissioners concluded that the case for declaring St. John's redundant had not been made as. in their view, it was required as a chapel of ease in the centre of Whitby.

The Commissioners' Pastoral Committee provided, in effect, a place of appeal against the proposal by the diocese of York to declare this church redundant. The Pastoral Measure 1983 provides no procedure for appeal against a decision by the Commissioners not to proceed with a draft scheme but the diocese is free to promote fresh proposals for pastoral re-organisation in Whitby.