§ Mr. Strawasked the Prime Minister which religious bodies are regarded as exempt from rates on their meeting places in Scotland but not in England and Wales; and if she will introduce legislation to ensure parity throughout the United Kingdom.
§ The Prime MinisterNo central record is kept of religious premises exempt from rates. The separate rating legislation in Scotland and in England and Wales lays down different criteria for exempting places of worship from rates. Whether a particular building meets the criteria is ultimately a matter for the courts. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is currently considering the wider implications of a recent Court of Appeal decision on public religious worship in two meeting halls of the Exclusive Brethren in England.