§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. EyreThe position of the Government is that any request from the Church authorities for State aid for the repair of historic churches is and will be considered with an open mind.
342WThe Possibility of such grants is at present being discussed with the working party set up by the General Synod for the purpose of conducting such discussions. This working party has, in consultation with my Department, carried out studies in two rural dioceses, on the estimated cost of repairs to churches and the resources available to meet them. It is now carrying out less intensive studies in two urban areas and when the results of these are available the Government will be able to assess the scale and nature of the problem, together with the implications for public expenditure and consider the extent to which the ecclesiastical exemption might need to be removed or adapted. I understand the Church of England is keeping other denominations informed through the Churches Main Committee,