§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will reconsider the matter of State grants from the Historic Buildings Council to churches in need of repair or restoration;
(2) if he will introduce legislation to withdraw the ecclesiastical exemption which exempts the Church of England 52W from statutory controls over demolition and alteration of church buildings.
§ Mr. ChannonDiscussions on the possibility of State grants for the repair of historic churches are proceeding with representatives of the General Synod of the Church of England, and a study is being carried out of the estimated cost of repairs to churches in sample areas and the resources available to meet them. When the results are available the Government will consider the scale and nature of the problem and the implications for public expenditure; and the extent to which the ecclesiastical exemption might have to be removed or adapted. I understand that the Church of England are keeping other denominations informed through the Churches Main Committee.