Redundant Churches and Chapels (Hansard, 27 October 1994)

§ Mr. Gwilym Jones

Responsibility for issues relating to redundant churches and chapels has been delegated to Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from E.A.J. Carr to Mrs. Ann Clwyd, dated 26 October 1994: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about progress towards establishing redundant churches and redundant chapels funds in Wales. In its response to the Welsh Affairs Committee report, "The Preservation of Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments", the Government indicated that it was prepared to fund 70 per cent. of the costs of mechanisms to care for the best redundant religious buildings for which no other arrangement could be made. Cadw is making good progress with the Representative Body of the Church in Wales and the Friends of Friendless Churches in identifying arrangements to care for redundant churches of the Church in Wales. The Friends has a proven track record in caring sympathetically for redundant churches in Wales and already has four in its hands. Most recently, a wider package of financial support has been offered to the Friends, whose founder died last year meaning the organisation has had to regroup, opening the way for its care to be further extended. Our detailed discussions are continuing on how it is to be done. The position with redundant chapels is rather different. There is no obvious mechanism which might be grant-aided to care for these and our aim is to stimulate the establishment of a body, in the voluntary sector, on the lines of the Historic Chapels Trust in England. To encourage a wider interest in the issue, Cadw has asked the Wales Council for Voluntary Action to organise a conference which will be held at the Norwegian Church, Cardiff on 29 November. The aim is to discuss the problems that such a mechanism might address and to promote the involvement of interested people.