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675436

registered interest
date	19/01/2017
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: Vulnerable Adults
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to support the police in dealing with vulnerable people.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	60948
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2017 answer text <p>The Church of England is actively engaging with the police at many levels, especially in providing support for vulnerable people. As senior figures in local civil society bishops often meet with their local Chief Constables, bilaterally and with other community leaders. The Street Pastors movement puts trained volunteers from local churches on the streets where people need practical and other forms of help, often working in partnership with those of other faiths. Following November’s tragic tram crash in Croydon, Street Pastors were deployed for four days, working alongside the British Transport Police, the Metropolitan Police and the Rail Investigation Service, providing pastoral support and escorting people to the main site to lay flowers in the cordoned-off area.</p><p> </p><p>Church of England police chaplains work with the majority of police forces, mostly parish clergy giving their time and energy as volunteers, though a small number are employed full or part-time. Their major contribution is in supporting police officers and staff in the demands of their day-to-day work, but they also engage with local communities and support community cohesion. Chaplains and other volunteers in many places also provide support to those held in police custody, especially vulnerable people.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 24/01/2017 17:14:35 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

675437

registered interest
date	19/01/2017
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Prisons: Religion
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to increase provision of spiritual guidance in prisons.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	60949
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2017 answer text <p>Chaplains (both employed and voluntary) work in teams, and in many places these are well supported by local churches and Christian charities. The work of Prison Fellowship, Reflex, Community Chaplaincy and other such organisations is especially important in this regard.</p><p>There is an Anglican chaplaincy presence in every prison. When vacancies arise, dioceses work with the National Offender Management Service to support the process of appointing a suitable person. While Chaplains are employed within NOMS, Church of England Chaplains are licensed by their local bishop and bishops are being encouraged to support chaplains in their areas. Bishops provide endorsement and often convene Diocesan meetings to support those in chaplaincy as well as chaplains attending deanery and diocesan events from time to time. The Bishop to HM Prisons (the Lord Bishop of Rochester) is also working with the Chaplain-General and others about arranging an event specifically for Church of England Chaplains.</p><p>The Bishop to Prisons is also one of the sponsors of a new national initiative called Prison Hope. This has the intention of strengthening the links between chaplaincy, local churches and Christian and wider community organisations. This initiative was launched at HMP Pentonville in October, and will run through 2017 into 2018. It has significant potential to increase the level of prison volunteering, to the benefit of prisoners, those who work in prisons, victims of crime and wider communities.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 24/01/2017 17:16:03 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

675438

registered interest
date	19/01/2017
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Churches: Theft
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 of England will take steps to ensure efforts to tackle theft of lead from church buildings do not lead to reduced accessibility to those buildings.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	60950
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2017 answer text <p>The Church of England encourages its churches to take all practical steps to prevent the theft of lead and other items from its churches. In the case of theft of lead the majority of churches undertake deterrent schemes involving the use of smart water, roof alarms and other measures. Grant schemes are in place through the National Churches Trust to help parishes cover the costs of these devices. There are very few cases where the theft of lead has given rise to the need to close a church or reduce access to the building. Research by our insurers has also shown that churches that are open on a daily basis do not suffer any greater risk of theft. In fact simply by being open and encouraging people to use the building or churchyard most parishes in England have found theft is deterred.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 24/01/2017 17:17:03 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

674190

registered interest
date	17/01/2017
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Debts
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 work the Church of England is undertaking to tackle indebtedness.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	60251
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2017 answer text <p>Many local churches across the country are closely involved in tackling indebtedness in their community. In September 2014 of the 1,812 clergy who responded to a Church Urban Fund social action survey, 22% said their church offered debt or money advice. This includes 306 Christians Against Poverty (CAP) debt centres and over 140 Community Money Advice centres, many of them run and/or hosted by Anglican churches. The report can be found here: <a href="http://www.cuf.org.uk/church-in-action-2015" target="_blank">www.cuf.org.uk/church-in-action-2015</a></p><p>At national level, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Just Finance Foundation has been set up by the Church of England and Church Urban Fund in order to implement his vision of a more just financial system. The JFF works with credit unions, churches, employers, schools and other community organisations to help strengthen the financial resilience of communities through financial education and improved access to responsible credit and savings opportunities and free debt advice services. Following successful pilots, the Just Finance Network and LifeSavers (school savings club) programme are being rolled out nationally.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 19/01/2017 13:12:48 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

674432

registered interest
date	16/01/2017
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Churches: Repairs and Maintenance
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 estimate the Church Commissioners have made of the potential cost of repairing historic windows in churches.
tabling member constituency	Dudley South
tabling member printed	Mike Wood
uin	908246
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2017 answer text <p>It is extremely difficult to assess the potential costs of repairing specific elements of churches. Often the exact nature of the work to be done is not known until a detailed assessment has been made, something which in itself costs money. Windows are especially vulnerable to wind and weather, as well as isolated cases of vandalism and accidental damage to the glass. Along with roofs they are key areas that must be maintained in order to keep the buildings in use. Stained glass is particularly valuable and unusual – indeed it is the only type of art that also keeps the rain out. The Church of England is aware of a number of local projects to restore and repair windows in the Dudley area, one of the most recent being at St Marks Church, Pensnett, where an appeal for £33,000 was launched by parishioners to restore the masonry around the chancel windows.</p><p>The Church of England does not use its limited resources to assess potential costs in detail because any such survey would be out of date as soon as it was complete. Issues such as available grant funds, availability of specialist contractors and scaffolding, as well as the time of year all affect potential costs. What we do know is that the cost of maintaining these beautiful windows is often more than an individual parish can cover. We are grateful to the Wolfson Foundation, Pilgrim Trust and Radcliffe Trust who all work with our own specialist conservation committees to award valuable grants to churches for works such as repair of stained glass. The www.churchcare.co.uk/churches website provides more information on how to apply for these along with a list of recipients from previous years.</p><p>The London Stained Glass Repository part of the Glaziers Foundation is also a good location for churches looking to replace damaged windows ot install new windows. The Repository rescues good quality glass &amp; seeks to find new homes for it. Stained glass which is under threat from building closure or vandalism is brought to the attention of the Repository, usually by the Church Commissioners.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 19/01/2017 12:39:41 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	4384 label Biography information for Mike Wood

658430

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

647632

registered interest
date	29/11/2016
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: Peterborough
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2016 to Question 53954, what issues remain which preclude the swift expediting of contracts being exchanged in respect of the disposal of land at Phase 2 Paston Reserve, Peterborough; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Peterborough
tabling member printed	Mr Stewart Jackson
uin	55309
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2016 answer text <p>There are a few remaining commercially sensitive negotiations which are currently taking place between the Church Commissioners for England, Taylor Wimpey plc and the Homes and Communities Agency who jointly own the site at Paston Reserve. The Church Commissioners hope to be in a position to update the Hon member for Peterborough with progress on the development at the meeting they have with his office on the 18<sup>th</sup> January 2017.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 02/12/2016 14:33:49 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	1551 label Biography information for Lord Jackson of Peterborough

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

644288

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	Clergy: Peterborough
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 assessment the Church of England has made of the appropriateness of procedures and practice relating to the Dean of Peterborough Cathedral standing down.
tabling member constituency	Lichfield
tabling member printed	Michael Fabricant
uin	54985
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/11/2016 answer text <p>On 22 July 2016 Very Revd Charles Taylor announced his resignation from the Deanery of Peterborough with effect from 2 October 2016. His farewell service took place at the Cathedral on 1 October 2016. There has been no reason to review the appropriateness of procedures and practice relating to the resignation.</p><p>In July the Bishop of Peterborough announced his decision to hold a formal Bishop’s visitation of the cathedral to investigate and report on the financial management and the overall governance of the Cathedral. At the time the Bishop noted that “The Cathedral is going through a cash flow crisis. It is taking too long to pay some bills, and paying the staff at the end of the month has been a close thing twice recently.” In response to requests from the Bishop and cathedral Chapter the Church Commissioners have provided advice, support, and financial backup to help the cathedral in this situation. Whilst some progress is being made, this week the Commissioners intend to increase the loan facility they have made available to the cathedral.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 29/11/2016 16:48:45 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	280 label Biography information for Michael Fabricant

644289

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	Churches: War Memorials
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 the Church of England's policy is on erecting new war memorial plaques.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	54987
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2016 answer text <p>Decisions regarding the construction, restoration or repair of war memorials, or laying up of military Standards are made at the local parish level. Any new installation or application for restoration would need to have the support of the local church or cathedral and would be required to submit its proposals for consideration through the usual Church Faculty process to seek permission to alter the fabric of the church or cathedral.</p><p>The Church Buildings Council has produced a free guide, available on the ChurchCare website, to help churches considering commissioning new art, of which memorials would be one type. This is a practical guide aimed at those with no experience of commissioning art and would be well suited to be used by veterans who wanted to work with a church to produce a memorial: <a href="http://www.churchcare.co.uk/churches/art-artefacts-conservation/introducing-new-art" target="_blank">http://www.churchcare.co.uk/churches/art-artefacts-conservation/introducing-new-art</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 30/11/2016 17:28:38 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah