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416766

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2015
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Blackburn
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, which non-redundant Church of England churches in the Diocese of Blackburn (a) have and (b) do not have food bank collection points.
	tabling member constituency	Preston
	tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
	uin	8578
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2015 answer text <p><br></p><p>The Diocese of Blackburn works closely with ‘Together Lancashire’, a church-linked social action network run by Church Urban Fund. According to ‘together Lancashire’ there are currently around 36 food banks in the diocese of Blackburn, of which 6 are Trussell Trust foodbanks (Blacburn, Fylde, Ribble Valley, Morecombe Bay, Skelmserdale and Ormskirk). These food banks handed out an estimated 35,000 food parcels in 2014.</p><p><br></p><p>Nearly all these initiatives are church-led (though not necessarily Church of England) projects. A directory and map of food banks in Lancashire (including the unitary authorities of Blackpool and Blackburn &amp; Darwen) is available at: <a href="http://www.cuf.org.uk/node/618257" target="_blank">http://www.cuf.org.uk/node/618257</a></p><p><br></p><p>Separately, a Church in Action survey of Church of England clergy, which was published in January 2015, included a series of questions about church support for food banks. 1,812 church leaders took part in the survey. Of the 39 responses from Blackburn diocese:</p><p><br></p><ul><ul><li><p>31 churches (80%) were involved in some way in supporting a local food bank</p></li><li><p>6 offered church premises for the food bank</p></li><li><p>11 were helping to manage a food bank</p></li><li><p>14 were providing volunteers</p></li><li><p>29 were collecting food</p></li></ul></ul><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 08/09/2015 16:16:51 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

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

454781

	registered interest
	date	24/02/2016
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	George Bell
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, how many people involved in investigating allegations of child abuse made against George Bell consulted his papers and diaries in Lambeth Palace Library in the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	28343
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/02/2016 answer text <p><ins class="ministerial">In 2013 and 2015 three staff members viewed various sections of the bishop's personal papers held at</ins> Lambeth Palace Library <ins class="ministerial">on two separate occasions.</ins> <del class="ministerial">has no record in the last three years of any of the individuals involved in these investigations making an application to view the papers and diaries of George Bell that are held in the Library.</del></p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 29/02/2016 16:24:51 question first ministerially corrected 06/05/2016 09:26:14 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman previous answer version 47893 answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

748475

	registered interest
	date	05/07/2017
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Camping Sites
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what discussions the Commissioners have had with Church of England representatives on expanding the availability of champing in England's churches.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	3276
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2017 answer text <p><strong>‘</strong>Champing’, or overnight camping in a church, is a new form of holiday pioneered by the Churches Conservation Trust. It currently uses only closed churches, 12 of which across the UK are available for visitors to stay the night in, between April and September. The Church of England is however working in partnership with the Churches Conservation Trust to bring the Champing model into operation for open churches, to offer high end accommodation that enables congregations to generate income, whilst also maintaining space for worship and community use.</p><p>The Church of England has developed a model for a high quality and revisable timber structure, which can be placed in open churches to provide a lettable insulated space, which in turn can generate income needed to maintain the building, thereby releasing money for mission. Designed to support rural parishes this model is being piloted in the Diocese of Hereford thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and AllChurches Trust. More information is at: <a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.champing.co.uk%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ccaroline.spelman.mp%40parliament.uk%7Cce2d399c7fb44acf61a608d4c786a2c4%7C1ce6dd9eb3374088be5e8dbbec04b34a%7C0%7C0%7C636352828440490556&amp;sdata=EC71jPHUwRiZbms%2BjBeKwn65m7w1hBPppp3zl%2FUTJkU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">http://www.champing.co.uk/</a></p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 10/07/2017 11:38:57 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

454779

	registered interest
	date	24/02/2016
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	George Bell
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the settlement the Church Commissioners made to the complainant against George Bell was made directly in relation to allegations against Bell, or on the basis that a complaint made under a subsequent Bishop, was not handled in a way which would be expected today.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	28341
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/02/2016 answer text <p>A formal claim for compensation was submitted in April 2014 and was settled in the autumn of 2015. The settlement followed a thorough pre-litigation process during which investigations took place.</p><p>Following the settlement of the claim the Bishop of Chichester, the Rt Revd Martin Warner issued a formal apology. The statement can be read on the Church of England’s website at the following address: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2015/10/statement-on-the-rt-revd-george-bell-%281883-1958%29.aspx" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2015/10/statement-on-the-rt-revd-george-bell-%281883-1958%29.aspx</a></p><p>The statement from Bishop Warner went on to say that “the response from the Diocese of Chichester in 1995, when the survivor first came forward, fell a long way short, not just of what is expected now, but of what we now appreciate you should have had a right to expect then.&quot;</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 29/02/2016 16:22:30 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135781

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Church of England: Community Development
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to encourage parishioners to support the local economy.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	271462
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>A recent study of the economic impact of cathedrals in England in 2014 showed that they generated around £220 million annually for the national economy. The report also showed that over 7,300 jobs depend on cathedrals, either through direct employment or the local economy.</p><p> </p><p>Tourists and visitors to English cathedrals generate an additional £125m for the local economy through visitor-related spend, which takes place directly in the towns and cities where cathedrals are based.</p><p> </p><p>No formal assessment has been made of the direct or indirect contribution of churches to the local economy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 03/07/2019 15:45:25 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

658430

	registered interest
	date	14/12/2016
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Blackburn
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, (a) what steps the Diocese of Blackburn has taken to work with Caring for God's Acre to map flora and fauna on its Estate, (b) which churches in the Diocese of Blackburn have recorded flora and fauna in churchyards, (c) what notable finds of flora and fauna have been recorded and (d) what plans the Diocese of Blackburn has to take part in the Cherishing Churchyards Week from 3 June to 11 June 2017.
	tabling member constituency	Preston
	tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
	uin	57603
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2017 answer text <p>A) The Blackburn Diocese Environment Group are currently in the process of deciding what the future role of the Diocesan Environmental Project Officer will look like. The Diocese of Blackburn has discussed working with ‘Caring for God’s Acre’ and with the current limited resources, the Diocesan Environment Group hopes to undertake a ‘Living Churchyards’ scheme. They are currently exploring the potential of partnership with the local Wildlife Trust and any project will need funding or sponsorship to get underway. The Diocese of Blackburn is fully committed to supporting enquiries into parish energy consumption and to the international ‘Just Water’ campaign.</p><p>B &amp; C) The Diocese does not hold central records of which Churches have recorded notable flora and fauna in their churchyards, this is more likely to be held locally within parishes, the local Wildlife Trusts and Natural England. If funding can be found for the ‘Living Churchyards’ project a more strategic plan can be produced.</p><p>D) The Blackburn Diocese Environment Group plans to encourage individual parishes that have the capacity to participate in Cherishing Churchyards 2017, and hopes to take a more coordinated approach in 2018. Across the Blackburn Diocese work is often undertaken in partnership and so the Diocese would want any project to also involve the land of other faith communities.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 10/01/2017 14:17:32 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

1105967

	registered interest
	date	28/03/2019
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Forests: Scotland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to her oral contribution of 28 March 2019, Official Report on the Archbishop's Council's Strategic Development Fund, whether it follows Scottish Natural Heritage's Biodiversity Duty Guidance and Advice in its forestry estates in Scotland.
	tabling member constituency	Edinburgh North and Leith
	tabling member printed	Deidre Brock
	uin	238375
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>All forests managed by the Church Commissioners conform to the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme (UKWAS) and the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS), and have Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) Certification. The FSC is recognised by WWF as the “hallmark of responsible forest management”. The Church Commissioners are not required to report under the Scottish Natural Heritage's ‘Biodiversity Duty Guidance and Advice in its forestry estates in Scotland’, as this applies only to public bodies.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 01/04/2019 16:29:25 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	4417 label Biography information for Deidre Brock

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

827259

	registered interest
	date	22/01/2018
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Fracking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Rt. Hon. Member for Meriden representing the Church Commissioners what the policy of the Church of England is on fracking on land owned by the Church of England.
	tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
	tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
	uin	123905
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2018 answer text <p>All oil and gas deposits in the UK are owned by the Crown. There are no plans for the Church Commissioners to use its land or mineral rights for the purpose of fracking.</p><p>As a policy, The Church Commissioners do not seek applications for seismic drilling/exploration and fracking. Allowing seismic testing/exploratory drilling does not imply approval of fracking, litigation risks arise for landowners should they wish to oppose a request to carry out geophysical surveys on their land. The Church Commissioners seek to minimise this risk.</p><p>The Church Commissioners are responsible landowners and landlords and we seek to protect both our interests and those of our tenants. The Church does not have an official position on fracking and recognises it’s a controversial and evolving issue and people within the church hold a range of views. The Church of England issued a Briefing Paper on Shale Gas and Fracking in December 2016 which can be found here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-11/shale-gas-and-fracking.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-11/shale-gas-and-fracking.pdf </a><br></p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 25/01/2018 09:28:11 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper