§ 37. Mr. LeighTo ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the number of redundant churches. [144816]
§ Mr. Stuart Bell1,623 Church of England churches have been declared redundant since 1 April 1969. However, the rate of closure has been falling and only 16 churches were declared redundant in 2000. Some 16,000 parish churches remain in use throughout England.