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795294

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2017
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Christianity
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Honourable Member for Meridan, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to support Christians in the UK who face difficulties in following their faith in the (a) workplace and the (b) public forum.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	115715
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/11/2017 answer text <p>At its July 2012 session the General Synod of the Church of England passed the following motion:</p><p>“That this Synod express its conviction that it is the calling of Christians to order and govern our lives in accordance with the teaching of Holy Scripture, and to manifest our faith in public life as well as in private, giving expression to our beliefs in the written and spoken word, and in practical acts of service to the local community and to the nation.‟</p><p>Bishops of the Church of England frequently speak about the need to ensure freedom of expression for Christians and for those of other faiths and none in the public square. In their joint letter before the last General Election, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York wrote:</p><p>“Contemporary politics needs to re-evaluate the importance of religious belief. The assumptions of secularism are not a reliable guide to the way the world works, nor will they enable us to understand the place of faith in other people’s lives. Parishes and Chaplaincies of the Church of England serve people of all faiths and none. Their contribution and that of other denominations and faiths to the well-being of the nation is immense – schools, food banks, social support, childcare among many others – and is freely offered. But the role of faith in society is not just measured in terms of service delivery...The new Parliament, if it is to take religious freedom seriously, must treat as an essential task the improvement of religious literacy.”</p><p>The full text can be read here: <a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchurchinparliament.org%2F2017%2F05%2F09%2Fgeneral-election-2017-archbishops-issue-election-letter%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ccaroline.spelman.mp%40parliament.uk%7Cf043429f8fd9451b370408d537460623%7C1ce6dd9eb3374088be5e8dbbec04b34a%7C0%7C0%7C636475696241825720&amp;sdata=OroVW92iBPZ0GqneZSZfTddQsmJ1FDDGslmLN1EJQnY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://churchinparliament.org/2017/05/09/general-election-2017-archbishops-issue-election-letter/</a></p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 29/11/2017 16:39:44 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

889931

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2018
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Out-of-school Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Honourable Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, could she update the House on the view of the Church of England’s Education Office following the publication of the Government’s response to the Out-of-school education consultation.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow East
	tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
	uin	136983
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/05/2018 answer text <p>Following the publication of the findings from the Department for Education’s consultation on out-of-school education, the Church of England’s Chief Education Officer, the Revd Nigel Genders, said: “We welcome the Government’s response to the consultation and the proposals to focus resources and energy on the areas of most concern rather than creating unhelpful bureaucracy.” The Church of England will go on working with Government on any proposal that would achieve this outcome.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 30/05/2018 14:33:00 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

809693

	registered interest
	date	19/12/2017
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Church Commissioners: Written Questions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Honourable Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, how many and what proportion of the Church Commissioners' Answers to Written Parliamentary Questions in the 2017-18 Session to date have referred to the information requested not being (a) collected or (b) collated centrally.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	120313
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2017 answer text <p>In the 2017-18 Session, to date, no answer given by the Church Commissioners has referred to the information requested not being (a) collected or (b) collated centrally.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 21/12/2017 09:55:38 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

917122

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2018
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Jeremy Pemberton
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Honourable Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, how much the Church of England spent on the employment tribunal involving Jeremy Pemberton; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Exeter
	tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
	uin	149586
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2018 answer text <p><em><em>It is not the practice of the Church Commissioners to disclose expenditure on the costs of legal proceedings of this kind (they are not required to do so under s.5 Episcopal Endowments and Stipends Measure 1943). The Church Commissioners have decided not to pursue the claimant for the costs they incurred as a result of his unsuccessful tribunal and subsequent appeals.</em></em></p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 06/06/2018 15:11:40 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

919298

	registered interest
	date	07/06/2018
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Seaham
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Honourable Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 26 April 2018, Official Report, col 1014, whether she has held discussions with the diocese on St Mary’s the Virgin Church, Seaham.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	151150
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2018 answer text <p>Since my oral answer of 26<sup>th</sup> April 2018 (Official Report, col 1014) I have consulted with representatives of the Diocese and of Seaham Parish and I understand that the land being developed is not owned either by the Parish, the Diocese or the Church Commissioners. Any objections must therefore be made formally and in the usual manner to the Local Authority planning office.</p><p> </p><p>To date the Diocese has not been asked to submit a view on the development. It would be for the Parochial Church Council of St Mary’s the Virgin to ask them to do so.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 11/06/2018 15:22:31 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

857088

	registered interest
	date	07/03/2018
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Broadband and WiFi
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Honourable Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what plans the Church of England has to make its buildings available for broadcasting (a) Wi-Fi and (b) broadband signal to improve connectivity in rural areas; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Shrewsbury and Atcham
	tabling member printed	Daniel Kawczynski
	uin	131600
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2018 answer text <p>The Church of England recently signed an Accord with Her Majesty’s Government to enable churches to improve broadband and mobile connectivity, particularly in rural areas. The Accord sets out how the Government and the Church can collaborate to help achieve this. Specifically, companies are being invited to tender to provide connectivity under a framework agreement with rural parish churches. The intention of the Accord is to indicate to Church Chancellors, Diocesan Advisory Committees and Local Planning Departments that there is no institutional barrier to this technology being used to promote connectivity in a manner appropriate for the community.</p><p>Currently, 86.4% of households in the Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency can access superfast speeds - up from 5% in 2011. Church buildings and property may be a good way to reach the last 13.6% of the constituency.</p><p>The Church of England is in the process setting up a working group with interested dioceses to identify areas where further work or guidance may be required to support the Accord. Discussions are also ongoing with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to establish where the barriers are to progress this project further.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 13/03/2018 14:44:33 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	1566 label Biography information for Daniel Kawczynski

984597

	registered interest
	date	09/10/2018
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Cathedrals: Salisbury
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Honourable Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what the policy of the Commissioners is on renewal of leaseholds within the precincts of Salisbury Cathedral; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	New Forest West
	tabling member printed	Sir Desmond Swayne
	uin	177148
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2018 answer text <p>Lease renewals within the Close at Salisbury are a matter for the Chapter of Salisbury Cathedral and the Church Commissioners do not therefore have a policy on this matter. The Chapter at Salisbury Cathedral sought the Church Commissioners consent under the Cathedrals Measure 1999 for a proposal to be offered to qualifying tenants. The Church Commissioners acknowledge that the Dean and Chapter have undertaken all due diligence in respect of this proposal but were unable to approve it without a quantified assessment of its impact on the Cathedral’s mission. Since that date the Third Estates Commissioner has met with the Dean and representatives of Chapter in September and has written to the Chapter recognising the difficulties in making this assessment.</p><p>Following these discussions, we understand that the Chapter at Salisbury is intending to review the matter.</p><p /><p /> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 15/10/2018 13:24:51 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne

982584

	registered interest
	date	08/10/2018
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Church Commissioners
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Honourable Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, which AGMs the Commissioners have attended in relation to companies in which shares are held by the Commissioners in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	175978
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/10/2018 answer text <p>In 2016 the Church Commissioners established an engagement team in conjunction with the Church of England Pensions Board, reflecting the importance of engagement in the application of our ethical investment policies. The engagement team has responsibility for voting our shareholdings in publicly listed companies, preparing ethical exclusion lists, and engaging companies in which we are shareholders on issues related to our ethical policies. During 2017 they undertook 112 engagements on behalf of the Church Commissioners, which ranged from letter-based contact to regular meetings with Chairs or Board members. The most significant proportion of face-to-face meetings remained with companies in the extractive industries. A list of company AGMs attended by the Church Commissioners’ Engagement Team in 2016, 2017 and 2018 (to date) is below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>2016</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>ANGLO AMERICAN PLC</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>BHP BILLITON PLC</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>BP PLC, LONDON</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Centrica plc Exxon</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>GLENCORE PLC</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>OCADO GROUP</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>RIO TINTO PLC</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>TULLOW OIL</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2017</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>ANGLO AMERICAN PLC</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Antofagasta plc</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>BP PLC</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Exxon</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Glencore plc</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>RIO TINTO PLC</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2018</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>ANGLO AMERICAN PLC</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>BP PLC</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Centrica plc</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>EXXON</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Glencore plc</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Millennium &amp; Copthorne Hotels plc</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>RIO TINTO PLC</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Royal Dutch Shell</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>WPP plc.</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 11/10/2018 16:22:52 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

872557

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2018
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Honourable Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, with reference to news release Church of England’s National Investing Bodies launch policy on investing in Extractive Industries, published by the Church of England in November 2017, what steps the Church Commissioners have taken to promote ethical investment policies in respect of the extractive industries to other faiths.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	134371
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/03/2018 answer text <p>The Extractive Industries Policy of the National Investing Bodies of the Church of England was launched in November 2017. During the development of the policy, we sought views from both faith and non-faith organisations. Since the policy launch, the Church Commissioners have discussed our new approach with various faith and non-faith organisations and are due to present the policy to the Church Investors Group in the coming months.</p><p>A number of the areas of the policy require engagement with extractive industry companies. Our approach has been to seek input and collaboration with other faith investors. We have also shared the policy and outlined approach widely within different faith networks. The Commissioners will continue to seek opportunities to work collaboratively with faith and non-faith investors on this issue of particular ethical importance.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 29/03/2018 10:24:26 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

999689

	registered interest
	date	01/11/2018
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Clergy: Carers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Right Honourable Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, how women in ministry are being supported with eldercare and parental care.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	187075
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2018 answer text <p>All ministers on common tenure – whether women or men - have the right to request time off work or adjustments to be made to the duties of their office in order to care for a dependant. As clergy office holders do not have defined hours of work, they already have greater flexibility than most employees over how they carry out their duties, which can often enable them to carry out their duties whilst caring for dependants without the need to request time off or adjustments.</p><p>As office holders, clergy are responsible for arranging their own cover while they are absent for any reason, (although the area dean or a member of the Bishop’s staff may assist clergy to arrange such cover where necessary). Support for caring for dependants and assistance with cover is not provided for centrally, as arrangements for this are best made locally – whether within the parish, or arranged with the assistance of the area dean or archdeacon. The Church Commissioners do not, therefore, have details of the level of support provided locally.</p><p>Women clergy are also supported at diocesan level by Deans of Women’s Ministry whose role is to promote the full inclusion of women in their diocese at every level of church life. As well as supporting female clergy with caring responsibilities, they are advocates for the ministry of women clergy in the diocese, listen to ordained women, identify the gifts, skills and potential among women clergy, and encourage these to be developed, used and fulfilled.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 05/11/2018 16:54:58 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell