In a recent interview the man himself said that churches would have to have a licence to hold musical events/performances but would be exempt if their was a religious context/content.

Why dont we declare that folk music is of religious significance and get round the licence that way. IE all folk session are religious gatherings ,after all we are free to express our reigion NO MATTER WHICH IT IS.
The alternative is at each and every session you do a hymn .

I am certain that many tunes are of religious origins anyway.