§ Mr. Terlezkiasked the Attorney-General what steps he has taken to date with regard to the charitable status of the so-called Unification Church; and what further action he proposes.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI informed the House on 14 March 1983, in reply to a question from my hon. Friend, the Member for Ravensbourne (Mr. Hunt) that I had invited the Chief Charity Commissioner to remove the two500W trusts connected with the Unification Church from the register of charities. This followed his refusal to accede to my earlier request to hold an inquiry into the affairs of the trusts. That invitation to remove the trusts from the register having also been declined, I subsequently announced that I proposed to institute proceedings to have the issues determined by the High Court. The Treasury Solicitor and leading and junior counsel were at once instructed to put the necessary action in hand. Their work on the case is now well advanced but there are still further witnesses to be interviewed and affidavits and other instruments to be settled. I therefore cannot yet say when proceedings will be formally instituted.