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1698359

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Lincolnshire
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to support churches in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.
	tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
	tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
	uin	20147
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners and National Church Institutions provide support for the mission and ministry of all dioceses in the Church of England.</p><p>The Church Commissioners have made £340 million available to support a Diocesan Investment Programme overseen by the Strategic Mission and Ministry Board, which includes additional funding and resources for lowest-income communities. The Diocese of Lincoln benefits from the Lowest Income Communities Fund, which is directly supporting the stipendiary ministry of clergy in many areas such as Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Lincoln and Boston.</p><p>The Diocese of Lincoln has recently launched ‘Time to Change Together’, which is its shared vision for the future of the diocese and its presence in Greater Lincolnshire. You can find out more about the project here: <a href="https://www.lincoln.anglican.org/parish-support/a-time-to-change-together/" target="_blank">https://www.lincoln.anglican.org/parish-support/a-time-to-change-together/</a> The Diocese bid for and received a grant from the Strategic Development Fund for a project called 'Resourcing the Urban Church' designed to revitalise churches of all traditions across the urban centres in the diocese.</p><p>Lincolnshire has one of the highest ratios of churches per head of the population in England, and the Diocese is committed to the stewardship of its historic churches and to supporting new worshipping communities. A new giving scheme has been developed to encourage congregations to support the flourishing of mission and ministry in the Diocese, and plans are being developed for an ‘Open Churches Trust’ to support smaller churches with maintenance and insurance advice.</p><p>The Diocese is developing new strategies to support clergy well-being. Preventing long-term vacancies and illness is a priority alongside finding sustainable solutions for parishes.</p><p>For further information about the work underway in Lincolnshire, please contact the area bishop The Rt Revd Dr Nicholas Chamberlain, Bishop of Grantham, whose details are here: <a href="https://www.lincoln.anglican.org/contact/directory/" target="_blank">https://www.lincoln.anglican.org/contact/directory/</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 25/04/2024 12:19:23 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1697792

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Christianity: Ceremonies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, how many confirmations there were in each year since 1994.
	tabling member constituency	Harborough
	tabling member printed	Neil O'Brien
	uin	19960
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>The table below shows the number of confirmations conducted in the Church of England each year since 1994. <br> <br> As the Established Church, every member of the public, whatever their belief, living within a parish in England has the right to access baptism, marriage and burial services of the Church of England as long as performing that service is lawful under Canon Law. <br> <br> The detailed data on the number of baptism and confirmation services is published in the annual data ‘Statistics for Mission’.</p><p>Post 2009 figures can be found here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-11/statisticsformission2022_tables.xlsx" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-11/statisticsformission2022_tables.xlsx</a></p><p>Pre-2009 figures can be found here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/about/data-services/resources-publications-and-data#na" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/about/data-services/resources-publications-and-data#na</a></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Number of confirmations</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1994</p></td><td><p>48,024</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1995</p></td><td><p>43,667</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1996</p></td><td><p>42,768</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1997</p></td><td><p>40,881</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1998</p></td><td><p>39,926</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1999</p></td><td><p>37,469</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2000</p></td><td><p>36,387</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2001</p></td><td><p>33,367</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2002</p></td><td><p>33,425</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2003</p></td><td><p>31,797</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004</p></td><td><p>30,425</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005</p></td><td><p>29,833</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006</p></td><td><p>29,380</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>27,926</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>26,972</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>25,028</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>22,349</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>22,242</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>22,540</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>19,883</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>18,028</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>16,723</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>15,917</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>15,253</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>14,475</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>13,355</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020</p></td><td><p>2,165</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021</p></td><td><p>6,388</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022</p></td><td><p>10,855</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/04/2024 13:14:53 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4679 label Biography information for Neil O'Brien

1697793

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Church Services: Attendance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what average weekly attendance was in each year since 1994.
	tabling member constituency	Harborough
	tabling member printed	Neil O'Brien
	uin	19961
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>The National Church Institutions first started collecting attendance data centrally in the autumn of 2000; as a result, it is not possible to publish data for the period 1994-1999. A methodological change also took place between 2000 and 2003 which means statistics for those years are not directly comparable with the data now collected. The data displayed below shows the longest period of comparable figures available, from 2003-2022.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Adult average weekly attendance</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Child average weekly attendance</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>All age average weekly attendance</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Adult average Sunday attendance</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Child average Sunday attendance</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>All age average Sunday attendance</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Adult average school service attendance</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Child average school service attendance</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>All age average school service attendance</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2003</strong></p></td><td><p>905,000</p></td><td><p>218,000</p></td><td><p>1,126,000</p></td><td><p>802,000</p></td><td><p>154,000</p></td><td><p>959,000</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2004</strong></p></td><td><p>896,000</p></td><td><p>220,000</p></td><td><p>1,119,000</p></td><td><p>789,000</p></td><td><p>151,000</p></td><td><p>942,000</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2005</strong></p></td><td><p>898,000</p></td><td><p>218,000</p></td><td><p>1,119,000</p></td><td><p>791,000</p></td><td><p>147,000</p></td><td><p>941,000</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2006</strong></p></td><td><p>894,000</p></td><td><p>217,000</p></td><td><p>1,115,000</p></td><td><p>786,000</p></td><td><p>145,000</p></td><td><p>935,000</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2007</strong></p></td><td><p>888,000</p></td><td><p>205,000</p></td><td><p>1,097,000</p></td><td><p>779,000</p></td><td><p>137,000</p></td><td><p>919,000</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2008</strong></p></td><td><p>877,000</p></td><td><p>215,000</p></td><td><p>1,094,000</p></td><td><p>768,000</p></td><td><p>139,000</p></td><td><p>910,000</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2009</strong></p></td><td><p>867,000</p></td><td><p>211,000</p></td><td><p>1,082,000</p></td><td><p>758,000</p></td><td><p>134,000</p></td><td><p>895,000</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2010</strong></p></td><td><p>851,000</p></td><td><p>208,000</p></td><td><p>1,062,000</p></td><td><p>741,000</p></td><td><p>130,000</p></td><td><p>874,000</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2011</strong></p></td><td><p>840,000</p></td><td><p>207,000</p></td><td><p>1,050,000</p></td><td><p>728,000</p></td><td><p>127,000</p></td><td><p>858,000</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2012</strong></p></td><td><p>843,000</p></td><td><p>202,000</p></td><td><p>1,049,000</p></td><td><p>733,000</p></td><td><p>128,000</p></td><td><p>864,000</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2013</strong></p></td><td><p>836,000</p></td><td><p>157,000</p></td><td><p>994,000</p></td><td><p>721,000</p></td><td><p>124,000</p></td><td><p>845,000</p></td><td><p>23,000</p></td><td><p>103,000</p></td><td><p>126,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2014</strong></p></td><td><p>831,000</p></td><td><p>144,000</p></td><td><p>975,000</p></td><td><p>711,000</p></td><td><p>119,000</p></td><td><p>830,000</p></td><td><p>35,000</p></td><td><p>113,000</p></td><td><p>148,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2015</strong></p></td><td><p>819,000</p></td><td><p>140,000</p></td><td><p>959,000</p></td><td><p>698,000</p></td><td><p>115,000</p></td><td><p>813,000</p></td><td><p>40,000</p></td><td><p>131,000</p></td><td><p>171,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2016</strong></p></td><td><p>791,000</p></td><td><p>132,000</p></td><td><p>922,000</p></td><td><p>671,000</p></td><td><p>108,000</p></td><td><p>780,000</p></td><td><p>42,000</p></td><td><p>139,000</p></td><td><p>182,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2017</strong></p></td><td><p>767,000</p></td><td><p>127,000</p></td><td><p>895,000</p></td><td><p>653,000</p></td><td><p>104,000</p></td><td><p>757,000</p></td><td><p>46,000</p></td><td><p>152,000</p></td><td><p>198,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2018</strong></p></td><td><p>752,000</p></td><td><p>120,000</p></td><td><p>872,000</p></td><td><p>635,000</p></td><td><p>96,000</p></td><td><p>730,000</p></td><td><p>40,000</p></td><td><p>137,000</p></td><td><p>177,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2019</strong></p></td><td><p>734,000</p></td><td><p>120,000</p></td><td><p>854,000</p></td><td><p>613,000</p></td><td><p>94,000</p></td><td><p>707,000</p></td><td><p>41,000</p></td><td><p>141,000</p></td><td><p>182,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2020</strong></p></td><td><p>317,000</p></td><td><p>28,000</p></td><td><p>345,000</p></td><td><p>273,000</p></td><td><p>24,000</p></td><td><p>298,000</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2021</strong></p></td><td><p>531,000</p></td><td><p>75,000</p></td><td><p>605,000</p></td><td><p>447,000</p></td><td><p>62,000</p></td><td><p>509,000</p></td><td><p>18,000</p></td><td><p>71,000</p></td><td><p>89,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2022</strong></p></td><td><p>567,000</p></td><td><p>87,000</p></td><td><p>654,000</p></td><td><p>477,000</p></td><td><p>70,000</p></td><td><p>547,000</p></td><td><p>36,000</p></td><td><p>128,000</p></td><td><p>164,000</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Attendance figures are collected from churches for the first 4 Sundays of October and in the following Monday-Saturday midweek periods - this exercise is referred to as the &quot;October count”. Figures include attendance at baptisms, as these usually take place in service, but not attendance at weddings and funerals. Attendance at services for schools is NOT included in the average weekly and average Sunday attendance figures but is reported separately.</p><p>In 2013, the question was changed to specifically ask about attendance at school services. Prior to 2013, it was apparent that some churches included such attendance in their reported figures while others did not. The change in question during this year resulted in a large change in the average weekly attendance from 2012 to 2013 and a more consistent practice across the church as a whole.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/04/2024 13:23:00 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4679 label Biography information for Neil O'Brien

1697794

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Redundant Churches
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, how many churches were deconsecrated in each year since 1994.
	tabling member constituency	Harborough
	tabling member printed	Neil O'Brien
	uin	19962
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>The Church of England law around church buildings is complex, but there are two main types; a consecrated church building where the bishop has performed a rite of consecration, setting the church building (and font and altar) aside for public worship, and a place of worship that has been licensed for that purpose by the bishop (not consecrated).</p><p>The Church of England does not have a rite of &quot;deconsecration&quot; as such – it is more usual to refer to the 'closure' of a church that is consecrated. The process of closure is a legal one, set out in the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 and its predecessor legislation. The bishop's consecration of a church building for worship cannot be removed. However, the legal effects of consecration can be withdrawn in order to allow the disposal of the building and a new use to be found for the building.</p><p>Since 1994 there have been around 650 closure schemes for consecrated church buildings brought forward under the Mission and Pastoral Measure. In some of those cases, the closed church building will have been sold to other Christian denominations for worship use, and in some cases some occasional worship continues, even if the closed church building is being used for community activities, for example.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 25/04/2024 12:27:05 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4679 label Biography information for Neil O'Brien

1697991

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Cumbria
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to support churches in (a) Penrith and The Border constituency and (b) Cumbria.
	tabling member constituency	Penrith and The Border
	tabling member printed	Dr Neil Hudson
	uin	19985
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners and National Church Institutions provide support for the mission and ministry of all dioceses in the Church of England.</p><p>The Church Commissioners have made £340 million available to support a Diocesan Investment Programme overseen by the Strategic Mission and Ministry Board, which includes additional funding and resources for lowest-income communities.</p><p>In Carlisle Diocese, the Lowest Income Communities Fund has provided £560,000 a year to support a range of projects in Barrow, South and West Carlisle, Workington, Whitehaven, and Maryport. Additional grants from the Strategic Development Fund totalling £ 1.6 million over five years have been awarded. The project funds five new pioneer enabler roles, which in addition to training and support, will help the Diocese reach those groups who are not typically represented in congregations in Carlisle.</p><p>Support is available to all churches in Penrith and The Border and across the Diocese with maintenance and management of church buildings via the Buildings for Mission fund, which will provide small grants for repairs and restoration and a dedicated support officer to advise parishes.</p><p>Other grants are available from the Diocese supported by the National Church Institutions to enable parishes to move towards Net Zero and increase capacity building at a parish level with youth work, internships, and vocations, and to support better stewardship of church buildings, to upgrade facilities and technology, and enable easier donation and giving. <br> <br> To find out more about the work underway across Cumbria, Carlisle and Penrith, please contact the Acting Bishop, The Rt Rev Rob Saner-Haigh, Bishop of Penrith, whose details are here: <a href="https://www.carlislediocese.org.uk/bishops-and-senior-clergy/" target="_blank">https://www.carlislediocese.org.uk/bishops-and-senior-clergy/</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 25/04/2024 12:31:39 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4853 label Biography information for Dr Neil Hudson

1697566

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Church Schools: Hendon
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether he has made an assessment of the contribution of church schools in Hendon constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	19599
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>Though the National Church Institutions are not responsible for the operation of individual schools, the Diocese of London has volunteered the following information, which I hope is useful.</p><p>There are two Church of England schools in the Hendon Constituency.</p><p>St Mary’s and St John’s educates more than 1,600 pupils. One quarter are on free school meals, which is higher than the Local Authority average. Pupils are making above-average progress at an 8-level attainment of 0.39 compared with the national average of -0.03.</p><p>St Paul’s School Mill Hill educates 210 pupils. One fifth of pupils are in receipt of Free School Meals, in line with the Local Authority average. Pupils attainment is above-average; 84% attained the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths last summer compared to the national average of 60%.</p><p>I commend the teachers and leadership teams in both schools for these achievements.</p><p>The Church of England educates over one million children in its 4,700 schools across England. Church Schools are committed to the flourishing of children and deliver a rounded education that remains in high demand with parents. They serve all those in the community, whatever their faith or belief.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/04/2024 13:10:53 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1697571

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	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: Tree Planting
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church plans to take steps to plant trees on diocese lands.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	19600
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>Diocesan land is managed by individual dioceses at a local level and, as such, the Church Commissioners are unable to plant trees on diocesan property. However, the Church Commissioners work with diocesan teams and other church bodies to encourage the responsible use of land, reducing carbon emissions and increasing biodiversity where appropriate, including incorporating environmental improvement into food production.</p><p>The Church Commissioners’ rural estates team has assisted with the creation of a guidance note for diocesan officers on ‘managing land for climate and nature’, attended net zero meetings, and engaged with local diocesan environmental officers. Staff from the Rural Estates team have also met with the Rural Bishops Group to illustrate their work managing the rural estates and share experiences that apply to dioceses. They will continue to share details of tree-planting undertaken by the Commissioners with our diocesan partners and are keen to work together on further improving and implementing good practice.</p><p>In 2023, the Church Commissioners planted over 1.5million trees on their Forestry and Farmland holdings, 700,000 of which were in the UK.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 25/04/2024 12:34:50 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1697590

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	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: Carbon Emissions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to help achieve net zero.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	19601
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners are committed to reducing the carbon intensity of their portfolio by 2025 and, as a member of the Asset Owners Alliance, reaching ‘Net Zero’ in the investment portfolio by 2050.</p><p>The General Synod has set a target for the Church of England to become Net Zero by 2030. The National Church Institutions are supporting every diocese with a grant to grow capacity and employ staff to manage the work of achieving this net zero ambition. The Church Commissioners have committed funding of £30m for 2023-25 and £190m total for a 9-year programme from 2023-31. <br> <br>Stage one will explore the best ways to decarbonise the diverse range of buildings and navigate planning and governance structures. The project will assess cathedrals and clergy housing, with demonstration churches that can act as showpieces of what is possible. There will be a special grant available from dioceses to enable churches to fund improvements to their energy efficiency.</p><p>A second workstream supports schools in accessing public sector decarbonisation funds, and another stream of grants will match local fundraising in churches for net-zero carbon projects through the Buildings for Mission scheme</p><p>This will provide a clear picture of the kinds of projects that are effective in reducing emissions, ready for a scaled-up investment in the second 3-year period</p><p>Recent success stories include York Minster and the Chapel at Kings College, Cambridge, which have joined many other major churches and cathedrals across the country in installing new solar panels and renewable technologies, reducing their running costs and making them more sustainable buildings.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/04/2024 13:18:14 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1697591

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	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: Land Use
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether a recent assessment has been made of the environmental improvements being advanced through the church's holding of agricultural land.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	19602
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners undertake rolling assessments of environmental improvements being made to the farmland portfolio by tenants, which is used to update the baseline study undertaken five years ago. Data has so far been provided on over 25,000 acres of Commissioners’ land holdings and contains details of environmental changes, such as transitioning to regenerative agricultural practices. The Commissioners are pleased to announce a partnership with the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), which will further develop this work.</p><p>The Church Commissioners’ rural estates team continues to engage with our new and existing agricultural tenants through regular individual farm visits, the sharing of ground-sourced data, including carbon audits, and the gathering of information from third parties. On recent assessment revealed that on a single Commissioners’ farm in Kent, over 45 species of bird were recorded during a single visit in December 2023.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/04/2024 13:24:49 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1697593

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	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: Slavery
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church plans to publicly acknowledge historic links with the chattel slave trade.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	19604
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>The Archbishop of Canterbury has been unequivocal on the theology of this issue, noting on his visit to Cape Coast Castle in Ghana in February 2023:</p><p>“It was a reminder that the abomination of African chattel enslavement was blasphemy: those who imprisoned men and women in those dungeons saw them as less than human. It is to the Church of England’s eternal shame that it did not always follow Christ’s teaching to give life. It is a stain on the wider church that some Christians did not see their brothers and sisters as created in the image of God, but as objects to be exploited.”</p><p>The Church Commissioners has been investigating its historic links to the chattel slave trade since 2019 and published a full, transparent report of the findings in January 2023. More information about the whole project is available here:<br> <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/about/leadership-and-governance/national-church-institutions/church-commissioners-england/who-we-1" target="_blank">Church Commissioners Links to Historic Transatlantic Slavery | The Church of England</a></p><p>The Church Commissioners seek, through the research it has done and its response, to acknowledge the truth of the past, apologise for the wrongs that this research has highlighted, and to address these wrongs through repentance, remembrance, reconciliation, and renewal. The Church Commissioners believe that by addressing its past transparently, particularly this part of our past, the Church and its teachings will be more relevant to more people. The response is an important missional activity that will support the work and ministry of the Church of England in England.</p><p>The Church Commissioners are committed to setting up an Impact Investment Fund as part of its response to invest in a better and fairer future for all, particularly for communities affected by historic enslavement. It is hoped this fund will grow over time, reinvesting returns to enable it to have a positive and lasting legacy that will exist in perpetuity and with the potential for other institutions to participate, further enabling growth in the size and impact of the fund. This Fund will be seeded with a £100 million commitment from the Church Commissioners.</p><p>Despite recent press speculation, the Church Commissioners has no plans to increase its contribution to the Fund over the planned funding period. It is hoped that growth in the impact fund will also enable grant funding for projects focused on improving opportunities for communities impacted by historic African chattel enslavement.</p><p>The Church Commissioners have also committed to undertake further research, including into the Church Commissioners' history, supporting dioceses and parishes to research and address their historic links with African chattel enslavement, and sharing best practices with other organisations researching their enslavement legacies.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 25/04/2024 12:37:47 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1693446

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Clergy: Universal Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Commissioners have had discussions with the Department of Work and Pensions on the potential impact of the migration of claimants of Child Tax Credit to Universal Credit on the financial position of members of the clergy.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	16862
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The Ministry Development Team of the Archbishops’ Council estimates that around 1,800 clergy families are currently in receipt of child tax credits. As has been reported, some of these may stand to lose up to £10,000 a year as a result of the planned migration to Universal Credit.</p><p>Representations have been made to the Department of Work and Pensions about the impact on clergy who have savings or property for retirement, of the ineligibility for Universal Credit for those with assets or savings over the £16,000 threshold. A key concern is that this will not only affect living standards for clergy families reliant on stipendiary income but will have an adverse effect on all people in tied accommodation seeking to make adequate provisions for their retirement.</p><p>The Ministry Development Team also estimates that around 400 of the 1,800 clergy families receiving child tax credits have more than two children and are therefore also likely to be affected by the two-child cap on Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/03/2024 11:28:36 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1691338

	registered interest
	date	23/02/2024
	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: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church plans to commission an independent review of funds allocated by the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board.
	tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
	tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
	uin	15413
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2024 answer text <p>In March 2022, an Independent Review of Lowest Income Communities Funding and Strategic Development Funding was published. This review was chaired by Sir Robert Chote, who presented the review to the General Synod in July 2022. At that group of sessions, the General Synod passed a motion requesting the commissioning of a follow-up independent review to be completed before the July 2024 group of sessions. This review will be commissioned as requested in the motion.</p><p>The original Chote review, with the response, can be found here: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchofengland.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2F2022-06%2Fgs-2261-review-of-sdf-and-linc-funding.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7Crichard.chapman%40churchofengland.org%7C36708d7edb7542596f2408dc37cd5a37%7C95e2463b3ab047b49ac1587c77ee84f0%7C0%7C0%7C638446603167712010%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=oSMvzlCiwHBOGdcjXGPO0EAqB7A3KCNdYR6WuOfPhdE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2022-06/gs-2261-review-of-sdf-and-linc-funding.pdf</a></p><p>The motion passed by General Synod in July 2022 can be found here (Item 70 on page 14): <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchofengland.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2F2022-09%2Fbusiness-done-consolidated.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7Crichard.chapman%40churchofengland.org%7C36708d7edb7542596f2408dc37cd5a37%7C95e2463b3ab047b49ac1587c77ee84f0%7C0%7C0%7C638446603167717965%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=pVb5naUPVYv2x%2BOPGfsZBU6l3VpJ0VTgg%2BfEL%2BA7EVo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2022-09/business-done-consolidated.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 28/02/2024 21:48:55 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1689894

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Religious Buildings: Entertainments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church has issued guidance on the use of places of worship for silent discos.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	14537
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2024 answer text <p>No guidance has been issued by the National Church Institutions on the use of places of worship for silent discos.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/02/2024 21:40:16 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1688967

	registered interest
	date	16/02/2024
	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: Staff
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what processes there are for complaints against senior staff of the National Church Institutions.
	tabling member constituency	Exeter
	tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
	uin	13865
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2024 answer text <p>The National Church Institutions have an external NCIs Complaints Policy, which can be found on the Church of England website at: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/about/leadership-and-governance/national-church-institutions" target="_blank">National Church Institutions | The Church of England</a>. A complaint is defined as any expression of dissatisfaction with the service offered by the NCIs to an individual or organisation, which could include an issue with the standard of service, a specific action taken (or not taken) or the behaviour of individuals working within or on behalf of the NCIs, in their interactions with the complainant. This could include the behaviour of NCI senior staff.</p><p>Complaints may come from any individual, volunteer or organisation directly involved with a specific matter being handled by the NCIs, including the general public, members of the clergy and staff in a church body.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/02/2024 21:41:44 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1688630

	registered interest
	date	08/02/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what proportion of funds allocated to projects by the Strategic Investment Board have been assigned to supporting (a) new and (b) established churches which (i) belong to and (ii) are associated with the Church Revitalisation Trust since 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Exeter
	tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
	uin	13678
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2024 answer text <p>Strategic Development Funding (which ran from 2014-22) was awarded to dioceses. It is for dioceses to decide which churches, activities and networks they support, in line with their strategies. We do not routinely capture data on the proportion of funding directed to particular networks. Most projects work with a number of different parishes and Fresh Expressions of Church (e.g. across a town).</p><p>Out of a total of £285m of national Church funding awarded between 2020 and 2023 by the Strategic Investment Board or by its successor, the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board, we estimate that £13m (4%) of funding has been awarded to dioceses for projects where all churches worked with the Church Revitalisation Trust (now known as The Revitalise Trust) and £34m (12%) has been allocated to programmes where at least one church out of many include a Church Revitalisation Trust element.</p><p>This funding comprises support both for new and established churches.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/02/2024 21:45:32 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1688631

	registered interest
	date	08/02/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what oversight is available to (a) the Strategic Investment Board and (b) others to monitor the use of Strategic Development Funding once distributed at diocesan level.
	tabling member constituency	Exeter
	tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
	uin	13681
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2024 answer text <p>a) The Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board reviews the progress of programmes supported by Strategic Development Funding at every meeting.</p><p>b) The progress of all programmes supported by Strategic Development Funding is regularly monitored by national Church staff, including through attendance at Programme Boards and annual reviews. Monies for projects supported by Strategic Development Funding are released in instalments across the funding period, with payments authorised by national Church staff after rigorous checks and against evidence of spend.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/02/2024 21:46:43 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1688632

	registered interest
	date	08/02/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what (a) investigative powers and (b) sanctions are available to the Strategic Investment Board to tackle any reported misuse of Strategic Development Funding.
	tabling member constituency	Exeter
	tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
	uin	13682
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2024 answer text <p>All awards of Strategic Development Funding are granted under a formal funding agreement made between the Archbishops’ Council and the recipient of the funding. The Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board is able, on behalf of the Archbishops’ Council, to commission any necessary investigations into reported misuse, or misuse identified through various accountability processes, of Strategic Development Funding. Under the funding agreement, the Archbishops’ Council has the right to withhold a grant or require repayment if any part of the grant is misused. No report of misuse of funds has ever been received.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/02/2024 21:48:10 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1688118

	registered interest
	date	07/02/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Independent Safeguarding Board
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, with reference to paragraphs 577 to 579 of the Review of the Independent Safeguarding Board, dated 30 November 2023, whether the commissioners have had recent discussions with the Archbishops' Council on the potential for lessons to be learned from the handling of the announcement.
	tabling member constituency	Exeter
	tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
	uin	13492
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2024 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners have not held such discussions with the Archbishops’ Council.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/02/2024 21:42:53 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1688244

	registered interest
	date	07/02/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Christianity: Asylum
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church provides guidance on helping to determine that asylum seekers are genuine converts to Christianity.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	13587
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2024 answer text <p>The document “Supporting Asylum Seekers – Guidance for Church of England Clergy”, which has been publicly available on the Church of England website for around seven years, states that clergy should assess the faith of those claiming conversion to Christianity and should rely on evidence to do so. The guidance also refers to the need for discernment – to be “wise as serpents” – in recognising mixed motives and the potential for gaming the system.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/02/2024 21:44:09 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1687728

	registered interest
	date	06/02/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Security
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what funds the Commissioners allocate to churches for (a) cameras, (b) alarms and (c) other security equipment.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	13262
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2024 answer text <p>All churches are eligible to apply for the Home Office hate crime scheme if they need support with new or upgrading equipment or facilities. <br> The <a href="https://benefacttrust.co.uk/" target="_blank">Benefact Trust</a> has funded alarms for churches. More details are available on the Church of England website about how to support parishes with resources and advice: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/security-and-crime-prevention" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/security-and-crime-prevention</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 08/02/2024 17:58:37 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1687806

	registered interest
	date	06/02/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Independent Safeguarding Board
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, how many and what proportion of the case reviews that the Independent Safeguarding Board agreed to undertake have been commissioned by the interim commissioner of independent reviews.
	tabling member constituency	Exeter
	tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
	uin	13208
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2024 answer text <p>The Archbishops' Council commissioned the Interim Commissioner of Independent Reviews to undertake discussions with survivors who had been promised reviews by the former Independent Safeguarding Board, about the terms of reference for reviewing their cases. At the request of survivors, the number in discussion with the Interim Commissioner will be kept confidential, given that the number of survivors promised a review by the ISB is relatively small and there is a possibility of identifying individuals.</p><p>At present no reviews have been commissioned, though some are in the final stages of consideration. The timetable will depend on the terms of reference and agreements with individual survivors, and the Interim Commissioner is taking care to ensure that each review is adequate to the particular circumstances of the case.</p><p>The recent review into the events leading to the termination of contracts of the members of the Independent Safeguarding Board – <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-12/isb-review-report-30-november-2023.pdf" target="_blank">the Wilkinson Report</a> – identified lessons learned on how recommendations from all case reviews are taken forward, which will be discussed at the forthcoming February meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous grouped question UIN 13209 13210 question first answered 08/02/2024 17:53:23 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1687807

	registered interest
	date	06/02/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Independent Safeguarding Board
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the commissioners have had recent discussions with (a) the Archbishops' Council and (b) other stakeholders on the commissioning of case reviews that the Independent Safeguarding Board agreed to undertake; what the timescale is for case reviews commissioned by the interim commissioner of independent reviews; and what steps are being taken to ensure the adequacy of such reviews.
	tabling member constituency	Exeter
	tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
	uin	13209
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2024 answer text <p>The Archbishops' Council commissioned the Interim Commissioner of Independent Reviews to undertake discussions with survivors who had been promised reviews by the former Independent Safeguarding Board, about the terms of reference for reviewing their cases. At the request of survivors, the number in discussion with the Interim Commissioner will be kept confidential, given that the number of survivors promised a review by the ISB is relatively small and there is a possibility of identifying individuals.</p><p>At present no reviews have been commissioned, though some are in the final stages of consideration. The timetable will depend on the terms of reference and agreements with individual survivors, and the Interim Commissioner is taking care to ensure that each review is adequate to the particular circumstances of the case.</p><p>The recent review into the events leading to the termination of contracts of the members of the Independent Safeguarding Board – <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-12/isb-review-report-30-november-2023.pdf" target="_blank">the Wilkinson Report</a> – identified lessons learned on how recommendations from all case reviews are taken forward, which will be discussed at the forthcoming February meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous grouped question UIN 13208 13210 question first answered 08/02/2024 17:53:24 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1687808

	registered interest
	date	06/02/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Archbishops' Council
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the commissioners have had discussions with the Archbishops' Council on the potential impact of recommendations from case reviews commissioned by the interim commissioner of independent reviews on earlier cases.
	tabling member constituency	Exeter
	tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
	uin	13210
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2024 answer text <p>The Archbishops' Council commissioned the Interim Commissioner of Independent Reviews to undertake discussions with survivors who had been promised reviews by the former Independent Safeguarding Board, about the terms of reference for reviewing their cases. At the request of survivors, the number in discussion with the Interim Commissioner will be kept confidential, given that the number of survivors promised a review by the ISB is relatively small and there is a possibility of identifying individuals.</p><p>At present no reviews have been commissioned, though some are in the final stages of consideration. The timetable will depend on the terms of reference and agreements with individual survivors, and the Interim Commissioner is taking care to ensure that each review is adequate to the particular circumstances of the case.</p><p>The recent review into the events leading to the termination of contracts of the members of the Independent Safeguarding Board – <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-12/isb-review-report-30-november-2023.pdf" target="_blank">the Wilkinson Report</a> – identified lessons learned on how recommendations from all case reviews are taken forward, which will be discussed at the forthcoming February meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous grouped question UIN 13208 13209 question first answered 08/02/2024 17:53:24 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1687925

	registered interest
	date	06/02/2024
	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: Charity Commission
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what data the commissioners hold on the number of serious incident reports that have been reported to the Charity Commission by the Church of England in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Exeter
	tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
	uin	13228
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2024 answer text <p>Each of the National Church Institutions, dioceses, and parochial church councils is a legally separate and independent charitable body, and each body is responsible for making its own serious incident reports to the Charity Commission. There is no central list.</p><p>The Church Commissioners do not hold information about the number of serious incident reports made to the Charity Commission other than their own. The Church Commissioners made two serious incident reports in the last 12 months; neither report related to safeguarding.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 08/02/2024 17:56:13 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1687926

	registered interest
	date	06/02/2024
	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: Charity Commission
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church has published guidance on the procedure for investigating serious incidents it has reported to the Charity Commission.
	tabling member constituency	Exeter
	tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
	uin	13229
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2024 answer text <p>The National Church Institutions follow the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on registering a serious incident report.</p><p>Reporting guidance for any charity, trustee, employee, and volunteer who has concerns about the operation of any charity can be found on the Gov.uk website here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-charity" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-charity</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 08/02/2024 17:57:20 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw