§ Mr. Cormackasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the Government's intentions with regard to granting financial aid to historic churches.
§ Mr. ChannonDiscussions on financial aid for historic churches are proceeding between my Department and the working party set up by General Synod of the Church of England to consider this question. The working party has also recently had a meeting with my noble Friend, the 413W Under-Secretary of State at which it took stock of the situation. It was agreed that the working party should complete its current study of the estimated cost of repairs to churches in sample areas and the resources available to their congregations to meet them. When the results are available the Government will consider the scale and nature of the problem and the implications for Church and State regarding public expenditure, and the extent to which ecclesiastical exemption might require to be removed or adapted.