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1315755

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2021
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	St Paul's Cathedral
	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 of England is taking to ensure the future of St. Paul's Cathedral.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	2912
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2021 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners and other National Church Institutions have been in regular contact with the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral throughout the pandemic as they have with all the Anglican cathedrals in England. The Church Commissioners made additional financial support available to all cathedrals and dioceses throughout the pandemic over and above the financial support they regularly make available. <br> <br> The Third Church Estates Commissioner, Dr Eve Poole, has also been in touch with both the Dean and the Chair of Council of St Pauls in the wake of recent headlines and conversations about the additional specific needs of St Paul's are ongoing. Currently, the Church Commissioners are aware that St Paul's Cathedral has received the following financial support during the pandemic from the Church Commissioners and the Government. This does not account for any support received through the Government's furlough scheme:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Church Commissioners Financial Support to St Paul's Cathedral</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dean and 2 Residentiary Canons - Standard Grant</p></td><td><p>£158,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cathedral Sustainability Grant - staff and administration</p></td><td><p>£172,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Heritage Trade and Skills Grant</p></td><td><p>£96,500</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Music Grant - Lay Clerks</p></td><td><p>£131,000</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Government Financial Support to St Paul's Cathedral</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Culture Recovery Fund round 1 &amp; 2</p></td><td><p>£3 million</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Culture Recovery Fund Capital Works Grant</p></td><td><p>£320,000</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The pandemic has impacted the finances of all cathedrals and churches right across the country to varying degrees, and this is not an experience unique to the Church of England. However, the Church of England is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of 45% of all grade one listed buildings in the country and the lack of in-person worshipers, educational visits and events have impacted not just the charitable giving and income of all cathedrals and churches but also the social and community and education work the Church supports and funds. Prior to the pandemic, the '<a href="https://www.houseofgood.nationalchurchestrust.org/" target="_blank">House for Good</a>' report by the National Churches Trust showed clearly the positive social and economic impact a church and cathedral have on their local community, with over 70% of parishes operating over 35,000 social action projects across the country.</p><p><br> The Church of England is grateful to the Government for the continued support of DCMS via the Culture Recovery Fund. The Church looks forward to the opportunity to engage with the Government to look at the future sustainability of its buildings following the publication of the Government's <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-taylor-review-sustainability-of-english-churches-and-cathedrals" target="_blank">Taylor Review: Sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals</a> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-taylor-review-sustainability-of-english-churches-and-cathedrals" target="_blank">2017</a>.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 20/05/2021 15:51:07 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1334123

	registered interest
	date	14/06/2021
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	St Margaret's Church Westminster: Westminster Abbey
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, when the appointment of an Assessor to enquire into complaints made against the Royal Peculiar of Westminster Abbey by the congregation of St Margaret's Church will be made.
	tabling member constituency	Gravesham
	tabling member printed	Adam Holloway
	uin	15185
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2021 answer text <p>As a Royal Peculiar, Westminster Abbey does not come under the responsibilities of the Church Commissioners. Accordingly, the most appropriate person to deal with this enquiry is Mr Richard Tilbrook, the Prime Minister's Appointments Secretary at the Cabinet Office.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 17/06/2021 11:35:19 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	1522 label Biography information for Adam Holloway

1232239

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2020
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	St Margaret's Church Westminster: Coronavirus
	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 representations he has received on the continuation of Sunday services at St Margaret's, Westminster.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	86665
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2020 answer text <p>I have received correspondence from some of the congregation of St Margaret's and have met with the Dean and Rector along with Mr Speaker to better understand the reasons for the changes that the Abbey wish to initiate at St Margaret's.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 14/09/2020 16:14:16 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous previous answer version 46298 answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1300682

	registered interest
	date	09/03/2021
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Remote Education
	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 has taken to provide support for the teaching of children at home during the covid-19 lockdown.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	165539
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2021 answer text <p>Church of England schools remained open during the pandemic for key worker children and also, where possible, for those who are unable to study at home. All teachers and staff in Church schools who are providing teaching and care at this difficult time deserve our deep gratitude.</p><p>Church schools moved rapidly to provide online lessons and resources, looking after children of key workers and overseeing the distribution of free school meal vouchers and technology to make online education possible. The Church is also delighted to have partnered with the Oak National Academy to provide assemblies and weekly collective worship for parents who are home-schooling.</p><p>Many parishes and cathedrals, such as Wakefield Cathedral, donated laptops and equipment to vulnerable children, which enabled these young people to continue to engage in education from home during the pandemic.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 11/03/2021 16:42:29 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1666751

	registered interest
	date	23/10/2023
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Religious Freedom: EU Countries and Middle East
	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 the Church's position is on freedom of religion in conflict zones in (a) the Middle East and (b) Europe.
	tabling member constituency	Bournemouth West
	tabling member printed	Sir Conor Burns
	uin	203801
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>The National Church Institutions recognise that freedom of religion or belief, like other human rights, is strongly correlated with political stability, and that repression of freedom of religion or belief, whether by societal hostility or state discrimination, can serve as major drivers of conflict and violence.</p><p>Sadly, in too many parts of the world today, whether that be in Russia or Ukraine, or in Iraq and Israel, the discrimination against or targeting of religious minorities is commonly associated with rising social tensions, intercommunal strife, violence and even mass atrocities.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/10/2023 10:35:49 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	3922 label Biography information for Sir Conor Burns

1539978

	registered interest
	date	07/11/2022
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Religious Freedom: China
	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 Commissioners have had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on making an assessment of freedom of religion and belief in China.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	80706
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2022 answer text <p>Bishops and officials of the Church of England regularly engage with Ministers and officials at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on a range of thematic and geographic concerns regarding freedom of religion or belief, which include the human rights situation in China, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria. Bishops in the House of Lords regularly raise concerns about the same through questions to Government. Details of these can be seen at:</p><p>Nigeria: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchurchinparliament.org%2Ftag%2Fnigeria%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard.chapman%40churchofengland.org%7Ce6a0002e28664cb9ecf108dac3fcad6e%7C95e2463b3ab047b49ac1587c77ee84f0%7C0%7C0%7C638037788155639816%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=rDDECckrNM83i%2BCNIOpm%2BMsb4bF7Z6DGRn8AxXchEH0%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Nigeria – The Church of England in Parliament (churchinparliament.org)</a></p><p>Democratic Republic of Congo: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchurchinparliament.org%2F%3Fs%3DCongo&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard.chapman%40churchofengland.org%7Ce6a0002e28664cb9ecf108dac3fcad6e%7C95e2463b3ab047b49ac1587c77ee84f0%7C0%7C0%7C638037788155639816%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=iyiDcEekae0YmKzh7Te%2Fo1CKabbeJuvVbUyDN9TwWeM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank"> The Church of England in Parliament (churchinparliament.org)</a></p><p>China: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchurchinparliament.org%2Ftag%2Fchina%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard.chapman%40churchofengland.org%7Ce6a0002e28664cb9ecf108dac3fcad6e%7C95e2463b3ab047b49ac1587c77ee84f0%7C0%7C0%7C638037788155639816%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=BR%2Bgl8hyphPWo7GSJnvVeihn6%2Blcgh%2BYffZzqaDJUro%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">China – The Church of England in Parliament (churchinparliament.org)<p><p></a>Most recently on 17th November the Bishop of St Albans led a debate in the House of Lords on allegations of human rights abuses in China.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous grouped question UIN 80704 80705 question first answered 01/12/2022 12:59:27 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1281949

	registered interest
	date	29/01/2021
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Religious Freedom
	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 prevent the persecution of believers of all faiths.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	145793
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2021 answer text <p>The Church speaks up on behalf of all those who are unable to exercise their right to freedom of religion or belief.</p><p>The Church of England is part of an international consortium that has just received £5.6 million from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to equip parliamentarians and religious leaders in eight countries in Africa and Asia to meet these challenges. As part of the new project, the Church of England and other consortium members will be helping parliamentarians and religious leaders with technical assistance and other expertise they need to propose solutions to such terrible human rights abuses in their own countries</p><p><br> The Church of England is continuing to engage with the International Panel for Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion and Belief. More information about that work is available here: <a href="https://www.ippforb.com/" target="_blank">https://www.ippforb.com/</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/02/2021 15:03:24 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous previous answer version 80613 answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1300070

	registered interest
	date	08/03/2021
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Religious Freedom
	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 representations the church is making in countries where people are being persecuted for their faith or belief.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	164478
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2021 answer text <p>The Church of England has regular meetings with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office about countries where people are persecuted for their faith or belief so that Her Majesty’s Government can raise these vital issues with the Governments of the countries concerned.</p><p>The Church also engages with our heads of mission, civil society groups, and where possible, with the foreign Governments in question.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 11/03/2021 16:46:12 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1383321

	registered interest
	date	30/11/2021
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Religious Freedom
	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 assessment the Church has made of where persecution of religion and belief is most concerning.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	84358
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2021 answer text <p>Government restrictions on religion or belief have increased globally in recent years as have societal hostilities. Studies undertaken by the Pew Research Centre indicate that the level of religious restrictions is highest in the Middle East-North Africa region, but that some of the biggest increases in religious restrictions over the past decade have occurred in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, while the levels of social hostilities towards religion or belief norms have increase most in the Americas, Europe and sub-Saharan Africa.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 03/12/2021 17:32:23 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1579825

	registered interest
	date	23/01/2023
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Religious Freedom
	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 is taking steps to promote freedom of religion and belief in (a) Hong Kong and (b) globally.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	129832
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2023 answer text <p>Freedom of Religion and Belief was discussed at the 2022 Lambeth Conference of global Anglican bishops, where many first-hand accounts of the context in different countries were shared. <br> <br> Bishops and officials of the National Church Institutions are working closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative, to equip civil servants, Government ministers, bishops and churches to respond effectively as possible to violations of freedom of religion, and in follow up to the Bishop of Truro’s report.</p><p>Freedom of religion was one of the founding principles of Hong Kong, which has led to a high diversity of faith communities and of those with no faith. The Church of England remains concerned about the treatment of these communities and is monitoring the situation closely.</p><p>The Church remains involved in providing welcome and support to those arriving here from Hong Kong under the British National Overseas passport scheme. One local example from Leeds diocese can be seen here: <a href="https://www.leeds.anglican.org/news/hong-kong-arrivals-welcomed-and-baptised-leeds-church" target="_blank">https://www.leeds.anglican.org/news/hong-kong-arrivals-welcomed-and-baptised-leeds-church</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 31/01/2023 16:35:55 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon