THE fight to save the national treasure-trove of priceless books in York Minster library has been taken to Westminster.

City MP Hugh Bayley has asked Church Commissioner Stuart Bell, the Church of England's representative in the Commons, to intervene against the closure plans.

He also plans to press for a lobby

of the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Fund contributed almost £1 million to the library five years ago and Mr Bayley believes it will not be pleased if it now closes.

Mr Bayley also wants to find out if there is the prospect of any further financial help from the lottery.

He is urging Mr Bell to take a policy stance in whether the library - a victim of the cash crisis facing York Minister - should be allowed to shut.

The Labour MP also wants to know if the office of the Church Commissioner should be funding the library, given the financial problems faced by the Minster.

He told the Evening Press: "The position I take is this is more than a cathedral library - it is the last remaining cathedral library we have.

"It has been argued there is a library in Durham, but that is run by the university and not the church.

"This is about whether the Church of England believes it should be in the business of holding a serious collection of books on theology.

"It is not just the York diocese, it is about the Church of England. Should the Church Commissioner be funding it if York Minster is facing difficulties.

The library's closure, in effect from August, has shocked city scholars. It holds tens of thousands of books dating back to before the 1500s.

The library and archives share the same building, which is a converted medieval chapel in Dean's Park. The building would continue to house the archives.

The building got a £1 million extension only five years ago, funded largely by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Updated: 10:23 Wednesday, June 04, 2003