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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

1379335

registered interest
date	17/11/2021
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Baptism: 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, how many services the Church of England has conducted specifically for the purposes of Baptising people seeking asylum in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	West Dorset
tabling member printed	Chris Loder
uin	76831
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/11/2021 answer text <p>Data are not kept on the nationality or migration status of those who seek Baptism. The content of the rite of Baptism remains the same for all. <br>Clergy are required by canon law to ensure that all who come to Baptism as adults are given appropriate teaching on the tenets of the faith and in encouragement to private spiritual devotion. Therefore, the preparation process may require specific, lengthier input and instruction of some groups of candidates before the clergyperson is confident of the independent faith of each individual.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 22/11/2021 17:56:21 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4751 label Biography information for Chris Loder

1379348

registered interest
date	17/11/2021
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 he has had recent discussions with the Church of England on the number of asylum seekers who have converted to Christianity in the last year.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	76650
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/11/2021 answer text <p>Specific discussion on that issue has not taken place. Data are not kept on the nationality or migration status of those who seek Baptism. Baptism is a sacrament ordained by God and must always be open to anyone regardless of race, nationality or status, so long as they meet the requirements set out in Canon law.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 19/11/2021 17:56:35 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1362655

registered interest
date	22/10/2021
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	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, what representations he has received from (a) lay parish members and (b) clergy on the Mission from (i) from Grantham and Stamford constituency and (ii) areas of England on the Mission in Revision Synod Paper (GS2222).
tabling member constituency	Grantham and Stamford
tabling member printed	Gareth Davies
uin	61230
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2021 answer text <p>The consultation on GS2222 is ongoing, and closes on 31<sup>st</sup> October 2021. A response to the consultation will be published in due course.</p><p>More information on the consultation can be found here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/parish-reorganisation-and-church-property/review-mission-and-pastoral-measure-2011" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/parish-reorganisation-and-church-property/review-mission-and-pastoral-measure-2011</a> and a paper with responses to frequency asked questions about GS2222 is available here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2021-10/GS2222%20QA%20for%20website%20FAQ_01102021_0.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2021-10/GS2222%20QA%20for%20website%20FAQ_01102021_0.pdf</a></p><p>There have been over 550 responses to the questionnaire and approximately 600 responses via email, which can be broken down into approximately two-thirds laity to one-third clergy. It is not possible to give a breakdown of responses by constituency and area.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/10/2021 17:28:59 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4850 label Biography information for Gareth Davies

1357835

registered interest
date	23/09/2021
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
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 Commissioners are taking to provide affordable, sustainable and beautiful housing to support community wellbeing on the Church estate.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	53894
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2021 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners’ land portfolio currently has potential to deliver around 30,000 new homes across England. The aim is to deliver high quality new homes and employment opportunities to support and enhance their local surroundings. New developments provide a mixture of market and affordable homes and can include new primary and secondary schools, community facilities, local retail centres, libraries, sports facilities and new areas of public open space. Through best practice masterplanning and placemaking, the Church Commissioners seek to build new communities, and strengthen existing ones, helping to create and sustain vibrant and vital places.</p><p>The Archbishops’ Commission on Housing, Church and Community, which reported earlier this year, set out a vision for housing centred on five core values: that good housing should be sustainable, safe, stable, sociable and satisfying. The Church Commissioners support these values as a way of defining what good looks like as an important step in building thriving communities. The full report from the Archbishops’ Commission can be seen here: <a href="https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/priorities/archbishops-commission-housing-church-and-community" target="_blank">https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/priorities/archbishops-commission-housing-church-and-community</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 18/10/2021 09:09:02 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1356827

registered interest
date	20/09/2021
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Clergy: Suicide
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 clergy have taken their own lives in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	West Dorset
tabling member printed	Chris Loder
uin	51846
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2021 answer text <p>Records are not held centrally on the causes of death of clergy. The Church of England provides resources for those experiencing stress and signposts to other resources from charities and organisations able to help. Some more information is available here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/clergy-resources/national-clergy-hr/supporting-clergy-health-and-wellbeing#na" target="_blank">Supporting clergy health and wellbeing | The Church of England</a> As chief pastors in their dioceses, diocesan bishops ensure pastoral care is available to clergy and is provided when needed. <br> <br>The Church of England is committed to supporting those individuals and organisations working to help those at risk of self-harm and suicide. At a parish level many clergy play a key role themselves in providing counselling, comfort and support to those at risk. All suicides are tragedies, and whilst causes will vary, the death of any member of the clergy through suicide will be a matter of profound concern and deep sadness for all in the church, their community and all who have a responsibility for their pastoral care.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 23/09/2021 16:34:56 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4751 label Biography information for Chris Loder

1356890

registered interest
date	20/09/2021
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: Assets
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 recent estimate he has made of the value of investment and liquid assets of the Church of England (a) centrally and (b) by diocese and cathedral, including those of the Church Commissioners less the liability for pensions for which they are responsible.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	51619
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2021 answer text <p>At the end of 2020 the total value of the Church Commissioners’ assets, less the estimated value of future pensions obligations, was £7,573m.</p><p>The Commissioners have additional and ongoing statutory funding obligations over and above pension liabilities, including support for the work of bishops and cathedrals. The Commissioners also make grants to support the work of the Church across the country, with a focus on supporting the poorest communities.</p><p>The Commissioners plan their spending in three year cycles and estimated expenditure in 2020-22 is £930m including £383m for pensions.</p><p>Further information is available in the most recent annual report of the Church Commissioners: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/about/leadership-and-governance/church-commissioners-england/how-we-are-governed/publications" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/about/leadership-and-governance/church-commissioners-england/how-we-are-governed/publications</a></p><p>The year end balances for Dioceses in 2019 (the most recent information available) were £1,692m in investments (the majority restricted for particular purposes) and £184m in cash. For cathedrals this was £524m in investments and £50m in cash. The majority of investment assets are in property investments, which are less liquid than stock market investments. Typically around two-thirds of diocesan incomes come from parish share, the majority of which is funded by individuals’ donations to Parochial Church Councils. This funding stream has been impacted by the pandemic and resulted in a significant draw on diocesan reserves.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 20/10/2021 17:14:45 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous previous answer version 23248 answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1356891

registered interest
date	20/09/2021
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, how much has been paid in (a) National Lottery Funds and (b) Government grants to Church of England bodies including (i) dioceses, (ii) parochial church councils, (iii) cathedrals, (iv) the Church Commissioners and (v) the Churches Conservation Trust in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	51620
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2021 answer text <p><em>Dioceses, parochial church councils and cathedrals:</em></p><p>The Church Commissioners do not hold figures broken down by Church of England diocese, parochial church council or cathedral, for National Lottery Heritage Fund or Government grants.</p><p>Grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to Church of England churches and cathedrals over the past five years are as follows. Brackets indicate the number of grants awarded:</p><p> </p><p>2016 £ 49,292,200 (166)</p><p> </p><p>2017 £ 25,264,900 (184)</p><p> </p><p>2018 £12,458,450 (144)</p><p> </p><p>2019 £11,652,300 (57)</p><p> </p><p>2020 £3,376,200 (67)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Government (DCMS) figures for grants equal to the value of VAT for works to listed Church of England places of worship over the past five years are:</p><p> </p><p>2016 £20,689,034</p><p> </p><p>2017 £23,839,469</p><p> </p><p>2018 £24,773,038</p><p> </p><p>2019 £24,522,362</p><p> </p><p>2020 £24,665,225</p><p> </p><p>This website, maintained by DCMS, contains details of the Listed Places of Worship Scheme and recent total disbursement: <a href="http://www.lpwscheme.org.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.lpwscheme.org.uk/</a></p><p> </p><p>Grants to Church of England listed places of worship under the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund in 2020-21 totalled £54,387,240, broken down as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Building type</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number of grants</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total amount of funding</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cathedral</p></td><td><p>107</p></td><td><p>£29,424,529</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Major Parish Church</p></td><td><p>154</p></td><td><p>£14,903,597</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Parish Church</p></td><td><p>484</p></td><td><p>£9,889,114</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><em> Church Commissioners:</em></p><p> </p><p>The Church Commissioners do not receive funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund or Government grants.</p><p> </p><p><em>Churches Conservation Trust:</em></p><p> </p><p>The Churches Conservation Trust is an independent charity reporting to both Parliament and the General Synod. It receives income from donations from individuals, trusts and foundations, and core funding from Government (DCMS) and the General Synod of the Church of England via the Church Commissioners. Funding for the last five years is as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>2020/21</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lottery Grants</p></td><td><p>£1,325,882</p></td><td><p>£683,053</p></td><td><p>£537,795</p></td><td><p>£1,394,687</p></td><td><p>£2,193,611</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Government Grant Funding</p></td><td><p>£2,749,000</p></td><td><p>£2,738,001</p></td><td><p>£2,604,000</p></td><td><p>£2,608,000</p></td><td><p>£4,533,451 of which £2,788,000 grant in aid</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Church Grant Funding</p></td><td><p>£1,355,000</p></td><td><p>£1,355,000</p></td><td><p>£1,655,000</p></td><td><p>£1,430,000</p></td><td><p>£1,430,000</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The Annual Report and Accounts of the Trust are laid before Parliament and are available at <a href="https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/annual-report-accounts.html" target="_blank">https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/annual-report-accounts.html</a></p><p> </p><p>The National Churches Trust October 2020 report ‘The House of Good’, found that the total economic and social value that church buildings generate in the UK amounted to at least £12.4 billion per year, an average of around £300,000 per church. The report can be viewed here: <a href="https://www.houseofgood.nationalchurchestrust.org/" target="_blank">https://www.houseofgood.nationalchurchestrust.org/</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 20/10/2021 17:18:45 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous previous answer version 23249 answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1356892

registered interest
date	20/09/2021
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: Taxation
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 much has been paid in (a) tax rebates, including of VAT on repairs and (b) Gift Aid to Church of England bodies including (i) dioceses, (ii) parochial church councils, (iii) cathedrals, (iv) the Church Commissioners and (v) the Churches Conservation Trust in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	51621
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2021 answer text <p><em>Dioceses, parochial church councils and cathedrals:</em></p><p>Government (DCMS) figures for grants equal to the value of VAT for works to listed places of worship over the past five years are below. These are grants to the value of VAT, not rebates. The Church Commissioners do not hold these figures broken down by Church of England diocese, parochial church council or cathedral:</p><p> </p><p>2016 £20,689,034.00</p><p> </p><p>2017 £23,839,469.00</p><p> </p><p>2018 £24,773,038.00</p><p> </p><p>2019 £24,522,362.00</p><p> </p><p>2020 £24,665,225.00</p><p> </p><p>This website, maintained by DCMS, contains details of the Listed Places of Worship Scheme and recent total disbursement: <a href="http://www.lpwscheme.org.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.lpwscheme.org.uk/</a></p><p> </p><p>Like all bodies that have charitable status, Gift Aid on donations can be claimed by parochial church councils, dioceses and cathedrals. The funding model of the Church of England means that the vast majority of donations from worshippers, visitors and other supporters are made to parochial church councils and to cathedral chapters. The Church Commissioners do not keep a record of Gift Aid receipts by dioceses, but the amount claimed will be modest.</p><p> </p><p>Parochial Church Council Gift Aid receipts for the past five years are:</p><p>2016 £91.9m</p><p>2017 £94.5m</p><p>2018 £94.3m</p><p>2019 £96.4m</p><p>2020 £91.3m*</p><p> </p><p>*The figure for 2020 is provisional and yet to be fully reviewed.</p><p>See also Parish Finance Statistics 2019, page 12: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2021-01/Parish%20Finance%20Statistics%202019.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2021-01/Parish%20Finance%20Statistics%202019.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>In 2018, the most recent year for which statistics are readily available, Church of England cathedrals reported in their accounts a total of £1.3m of Gift Aid from donations.</p><p> </p><p><em>Church Commissioners:</em></p><p>The Church Commissioners have not received any Gift Aid on donations made by individuals.</p><p> </p><p><em>Churches Conservation Trust:</em></p><p>The Churches Conservation Trust is an independent charity reporting to both Parliament and the General Synod. It receives income from donations from individuals, trusts and foundations, and core funding from Government (DCMS) and the General Synod of the Church of England via the Church Commissioners.</p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td>2016/17</td><td>2017/18</td><td>2018/19</td><td>2019/20</td><td>2020/21</td></tr><tr><td>Tax Rebates / LPWGS*</td><td>£550,556</td><td>£239,520</td><td>£318,174</td><td>£289,460</td><td>£834,592</td></tr><tr><td>Gift Aid</td><td>£16,063</td><td>£22,756</td><td>£28,787</td><td>£19,824</td><td>£27,524</td></tr></tbody></table><p>*figure includes grants from the Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme</p><p><br>The Annual Report and Accounts of the Trust are laid before Parliament and are available at <a href="https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/annual-report-accounts.html" target="_blank">https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/annual-report-accounts.html</a>*figure includes grants from the Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 20/10/2021 17:30:24 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous previous answer version 23251 answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1355281

registered interest
date	14/09/2021
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Churches: Marriage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Commissioners will make representations to Church leaders on allowing people to marry in any church of their choosing.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	49099
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/09/2021 answer text <p>Since 2008 a couple can marry in a Church of England church of any parish where either of them resides or is on the church electoral roll, or any parish where either was baptised, prepared for confirmation, or had formerly lived or worshipped. They also qualify if the parents of either of them have lived in the parish of that church, or have worshipped there, or the parents or grandparents of either of them were married there. <br> <br>Being married in a church not only reflects the faith commitment of the couple but their connection to the communities to which they are linked, whether through present circumstances or family histories. This policy of ‘qualifying connections’ allows couples great flexibility in choosing their wedding venues while also maintaining those important community links. <br> <br>There are many positive effects of attending a church in order to get married there and the website yourchurchwedding.org encourages couples to ‘just ask’ to find out how they can get married in church.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 16/09/2021 16:22:55 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord