§ 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) what has been the outcome of the discussions with the working party set up by the General Synod as regards the inclusion of churches for Historic Buildings Council grants.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisAny request from the Church authorities for State aid for historic churches is and will be considered with an open mind. The working282W party has submitted studies of the estimated cost of repairs to historic churches in certain rural and urban areas and the local funds available to meet them. These were designed to show the scale and nature of the problem and its implications for public expenditure. When I have considered them more fully, discussions will be reopened with the representatives of the General Synod. I understand the Church of England is keeping other denominations informed through the Churches Main Committee.
§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will introduce legislation to withdraw the ecclesiastical exemption which exempts the Church of England from statutory controls over demolition and alteration of church buildings;
(2) if he will make it his policy to consider the inclusion of churches for Historic Buildings Council grants if the ecclesiastical authorities declare their willingness to abandon exemption from the relevant laws.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisThe extent to which the ecclesiastical exemption might have to be removed or adapted will be a matter for consideration as part of the discussions with representatives of the General Synod on the possibility of grant aid for churches.