HC Deb 31 October 1947 vol 443 cc137-8W
Mr. Low

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what steps are being taken to provide support for Christian Churches in India which, until 15th August, 1947, were the concern of His Majesty's Government.

Mr. P. Noel-Baker

The support from Indian revenues hitherto given to the Christian Churches in India arose largely from the obligation to provide religious ministration for the European members of the civil and military services of the Crown in India and their families. As British troops and officials leave India and Pakistan this obligation disappears. The Indian Ecclesiastical Establishment, in common with the other services of the Secretary of State, came to an end on 15th August; but it was intended that a certain number of chaplains should be retained until the end of this year. Before the transfer of power the Government of India had decided that the church buildings and buildings connected therewith hitherto maintained out of Indian revenues should be handed over to the Trustees of the various Christian Churches. Provision was made in the budget of the Government of India for 1947–48 to enable grants-in-aid to be made to the various Churches for the supply of additional chaplains and other services on the same basis as in the past, and it was proposed that they should, in the financial year 1948–49, be paid a final lump sum equal to the annual grants made to them in the past in respect of the provision by them of chaplains and other services, but excluding payments made to them in the past in respect of chaplains of the Indian Ecclesiastical Establishment and the maintenance of church buildings.