§ Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the Government's estimate of the cost of compensating the Church of England for abolishing the chancel repairing liability. [15683]
§ Mr. StreeterNo such estimate has been prepared because the Law Commission report on this subject made no recommendation for compensation, a position which the Church of England and the Church in Wales are content to adopt.
§ Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the arrangements for those carrying out property searches to discover whether a particular property is affected by liability for chancel repairs. [15681]
§ Mr. StreeterSearches may be carried out in the tithe records now held at the Public Records Office.
§ Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what discussions his Department has had with the Church of England in the last year regarding liability for chancel repairs. [15685]
§ Mr. StreeterThere has been one exchange of letters between my Department and the general secretary of the General Synod of the Church of England.
§ Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many representations the Government have received in the last year on the Law Commission report No. 152, "Property Law: Liability for Chancel Repairs". [15684]
§ Mr. StreeterApart from discussions within Government, my Department has corresponded with three bodies and two individual Members of Parliament.
§ Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in respect of chancel repairing liabilities on properties, how many(a) properties and (b) hectares are affected; how many parishes benefit; if he will list those parishes; and by how much the Church of England benefited in each of the last 10 years. [15680]
§ Mr. StreeterThis information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.