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443811

	registered interest
	date	11/01/2016
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Church Commissioners: UK Membership of EU
	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 contingency arrangements the Church Commissioners have made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.
	tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
	tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
	uin	21936
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2016 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners and the Church of England Pensions Board manage their investment portfolios using high quality well diversified and long term strategies. The Church Commissioners and Pensions Board believe that they are well positioned for any market re-pricing or uncertainty that may prevail prior to or after the referendum.</p><br /> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 15/01/2016 09:53:04 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

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

712373

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2017
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Yoga
	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 guidance is issued to churches on allowing church premises to be used for yoga classes.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	68543
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2017 answer text <p>The Church of England takes a flexible approach to yoga classes in church halls, with decisions left to the discretion of the local Parochial Church Council. Advice and guidance is available for parishes that are considering hiring their church hall out, which can be found here <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/media/59302/NRM%20guidance.doc" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/media/59302/NRM%20guidance.doc</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 23/03/2017 16:05:56 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

964564

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2018
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Equality
	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 are being taken to promote greater diversity by (a) gender (b) ethnicity and (c) sexual orientation in leadership positions within the Church.
	tabling member constituency	Cardiff South and Penarth
	tabling member printed	Stephen Doughty
	uin	169369
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2018 answer text <p>Increasing diversity among the clergy is a priority for the Church of England. Nationally the Church has set a target that it will increase the overall number of people recommended for training by 50% over a five-year period. The Church is well on the way to deliver this and has already seen a 22% increase in those entering training since 2016. The Ministry Division of the Archbishops’ Council has developed programmes to support those who are being called to the priesthood from as wide a range of communities and backgrounds as possible. Members of the Crown Nominations Commission who are involved in the recruitment and discernment process for the most senior appointments also undergo unconscious bias training.</p><p>During 2018 the Church recommended 316 women for training, which was 54% of the total. This represents the highest proportion of women entering training that the Church has seen in the last ten years.</p><p>The most recent data from 2017 shows that around 6% of those entering training self-identify as being from a minority ethnic background. The Church responded by recruiting a National ME Vocations Officer to address this underrepresentation of minority ethnic clergy and through the “Turning up the Volume” programme is supporting future senior leaders. The Ordained Vocations Mentor Directory was also created to help support those at any stage on the journey towards ordained vocations who would like a mentor.</p><p>The Church of England does not record or keep data on the sexual orientation of candidates.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 15/10/2018 15:24:42 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman previous answer version 77537 answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	4264 label Biography information for Stephen Doughty

643840

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2016
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Clergy: Females
	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 a Bishop of London has ordained a woman as a priest.
	tabling member constituency	Worthing West
	tabling member printed	Sir Peter Bottomley
	uin	54893
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2016 answer text <p>It has long been the practice of the Diocese of London for the Bishop to ordain all deacons, male and female, with Area Bishops ordaining priests in their local community.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 28/11/2016 16:22:05 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	117 label Biography information for Sir Peter Bottomley

644287

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2016
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Bishop of London
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Church Commissioners will make it their policy that the next nominee for the Bishop of London will ordain both women and men as priests.
	tabling member constituency	Worthing West
	tabling member printed	Sir Peter Bottomley
	uin	54965
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/11/2016 answer text <p>The nomination to the See of London is a matter for the Crown Nominations Commission rather than the Church Commissioners. Nominations to episcopal sees are made within the context of the House of Bishops’ Declaration on Ministry of Bishops and Priests, which expressly recognises that those who, on grounds of theological conviction, are unable to receive the ministry of women bishops and priests continue to be within the spectrum and teaching and tradition of the Anglican Communion, and affirms the importance of there continuing to be bishops within the Church of England to enable ministry to be provided to such persons. However, as part of the usual consultation process for nominations to diocesan sees, anyone wishing to comment on the needs of the vacant diocese or the wider church is invited to write to the Prime Minister’s Appointments Secretary and the Archbishops’ Secretary for Appointments. Any such submissions will inform the Commission’s work.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 29/11/2016 16:46:12 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	117 label Biography information for Sir Peter Bottomley

416164

	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 Church of England churches in the Diocese of Blackburn have been subject to metal theft from roofs in each year since 2012; and which such churches were redundant churches.
	tabling member constituency	Preston
	tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
	uin	8387
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2015 answer text <p>With regards to open churches the number of churches in the Blackburn Diocese which have suffered from metal theft can be found on the chart below. The chart shows the volume of claims have dropped dramatically since 2011 when the Scrap Metal Dealers Act was enforced there are still a small number of persistent gangs operating across the country who continue to damage and vandalise these local community assets. The total number of thefts does not tell the whole story as the cost to the individual parish which has suffered the damage is often considerable to repair, replace and take preventative steps against future thefts.</p><table><tbody><tr><td>Year Claim Made</td><td>2011</td><td>2012</td><td>2013</td><td>2014</td><td><p>Total</p></td></tr><tr><td>Dicoese of Blackburn</td><td>73</td><td>27</td><td>14</td><td>13</td><td>127</td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Churches listed below have registered 50 thefts in the specified period and are the worst effected, in addition to the list below 49 other churches have registered 77 claims in this period.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Listed</strong></p><p> </p><p>1 Lytham St Cuthbert – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>2 Colne St Bartholomew – Grade1</p><p> </p><p>3 Chorley St George – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>4 Chorley St Peter – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>5 Charnock Richard Christ Church – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>6 Cockerham St Michael – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>7 Hoole St Michael – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>8 Bamber Bridge St Saviour – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>9 Grimsargh St Michael – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>10 Walton-le-Dale St Leonard – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>11 Church Kirk St James – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>12 Accrington St John Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>13 Over Kellet St Cuthbert Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>14 Leyland St James Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>15 Mellor St Mary Grade II</p><p> </p><p>16 Douglas in Parbold Christ Church Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>17 Kirkham St Michael Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>18 Woodplumpton St Anne – Grade11*</p><p> </p><p>19 Chorley St Laurence – Grade 11 *</p><p> </p><p>20 Bolton le Sands Holy Trinity – Grade11*</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Unlisted</strong></p><p> </p><p>21 Blackburn St Luke with St Philip</p><p> </p><p>22 Layton St Mark</p><p> </p><p>23 Thornton le Fylde Christ Church</p><p> </p><p>24 Fleetwood St Nicholas</p><p>25 Little Thornton St John</p><p>Closed churches are the responsibility for the care and maintenance of a closed church rests with the Diocesan Board of Finance during the time that a use is being sought following closure. There are currently very few closed churches in the Diocese of Blackburn and we are not aware that there has been lead roof theft from any closed church in Blackburn Diocese in the years from 2012. We are aware of one earlier theft of lead from the roof of a former church building in the Great Harwood area of Accrington. This building has since been demolished and the site sold for residential development.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 10/09/2015 13:34:47 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

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

416767

	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: North West
	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 Church of England churches in the Diocese of (a) Blackburn, (b) Manchester, (c) Liverpool and (d) Carlisle were sold in 2014; and how many such churches were sold to (i) other named protestant churches, (ii) named orthodox churches, (iii) other named Christian organisations, (iv) named non-Christian organisations, (v) organisations planning to use them for housing and (vi) organisations planning to use them for other named community uses.
	tabling member constituency	Preston
	tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
	uin	8994
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2015 answer text <p>From the records held centrally by the Church Commissioners, Closed Churches Division of the four dioceses mentioned only two closed churches were sold in 2014, both in the Diocese of Manchester, Primarily for use for nursery, playschool and other educational purposes, but not to named institutions. <br></p><p> </p><p>Very few Church of England church buildings are closed for regular public worship in any year and where such buildings are closed, the duty placed on the Diocese and the Church Commissioners is to seek a suitable use for the building.</p><p> </p><p>In 2014, in addition to the two closed church buildings mentioned above a further 14 closed Church of England buildings were sold and 3 leased across England: 5 for community purposes; 3 for use as a monument; 5 for residential use; and 4 for worship by other Christian bodies.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 09/09/2015 15:23:15 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

416768

	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 Church of England churches in the Diocese of Blackburn were subject to metal theft from rooves in (a) 2012, (b) 2013 and (c) 2014; and which such churches were redundant.
	tabling member constituency	Preston
	tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
	uin	8993
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2015 answer text <p>With regards to open churches the number of churches in the Blackburn Diocese which have suffered from metal theft can be found on the chart below. The chart shows the volume of claims have dropped dramatically since 2011 when the Scrap Metal Dealers Act was enforced there are still a small number of persistent gangs operating across the country who continue to damage and vandalise these local community assets. The total number of thefts does not tell the whole story as the cost to the individual parish which has suffered the damage is often considerable to repair, replace and take preventative steps against future thefts.</p><table><tbody><tr><td>Year Claim Made</td><td>2011</td><td>2012</td><td>2013</td><td>2014</td><td><p>Total</p></td></tr><tr><td>Dicoese of Blackburn</td><td>73</td><td>27</td><td>14</td><td>13</td><td>127</td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Churches listed below have registered 50 thefts in the specified period and are the worst effected, in addition to the list below 49 other churches have registered 77 claims in this period.</p><p><br></p><p> </p><p><strong>Listed</strong></p><p> </p><p>1 Lytham St Cuthbert – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>2 Colne St Bartholomew – Grade1</p><p> </p><p>3 Chorley St George – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>4 Chorley St Peter – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>5 Charnock Richard Christ Church – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>6 Cockerham St Michael – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>7 Hoole St Michael – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>8 Bamber Bridge St Saviour – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>9 Grimsargh St Michael – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>10 Walton-le-Dale St Leonard – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>11 Church Kirk St James – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>12 Accrington St John Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>13 Over Kellet St Cuthbert Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>14 Leyland St James Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>15 Mellor St Mary Grade II</p><p> </p><p>16 Douglas in Parbold Christ Church Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>17 Kirkham St Michael Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>18 Woodplumpton St Anne – Grade11*</p><p> </p><p>19 Chorley St Laurence – Grade 11 *</p><p> </p><p>20 Bolton le Sands Holy Trinity – Grade11*</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Unlisted</strong></p><p> </p><p>21 Blackburn St Luke with St Philip</p><p> </p><p>22 Layton St Mark</p><p> </p><p>23 Thornton le Fylde Christ Church</p><p> </p><p>24 Fleetwood St Nicholas</p><p>25 Little Thornton St John</p><p>Closed churches are the responsibility for the care and maintenance of a closed church rests with the Diocesan Board of Finance during the time that a use is being sought following closure. There are currently very few closed churches in the Diocese of Blackburn and we are not aware that there has been lead roof theft from any closed church in Blackburn Diocese in the years from 2012. We are aware of one earlier theft of lead from the roof of a former church building in the Great Harwood area of Accrington. This building has since been demolished and the site sold for residential development.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 09/09/2015 13:10:26 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick