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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

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

1342247

registered interest
date	30/06/2021
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 has taken to support the covid-19 vaccination programme.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	24966
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2021 answer text <p>Support for the vaccine programme has been provided at the local and regional levels by clergy engaging pastorally in their communities, and the use of cathedrals and larger churches as vaccination centres. As part of the NHS-backed #GiveHope campaign, bishops and church leaders joined together in sharing video messages encouraging communities to seek accurate information on vaccines, hold local conversations, and to encourage one another to take up offers of vaccines: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/news-and-media/news-and-statements/bishops-and-church-leaders-target-covid-vaccination" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/news-and-media/news-and-statements/bishops-and-church-leaders-target-covid-vaccination</a></p><p>The Church has also been supporting VaccinAid, to encourage those who have been vaccinated to donate to enable other people around the world to have access to vaccines: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/news-and-media/news-releases/church-england-backs-vaccinaid-campaign-give-world-shot-help-defeat" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/news-and-media/news-releases/church-england-backs-vaccinaid-campaign-give-world-shot-help-defeat</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 08/07/2021 13:35:53 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1337749

registered interest
date	17/06/2021
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Collective Worship: Internet
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 the impact on church attendance of online worship.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	17737
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2021 answer text <p>Though it is too early to assess the full impact of online worship, thousands of clergy have been provided with training to use new technology to enable them to produce virtual services. The majority of parishes have also offered some form of online worship live-streaming or bespoke recordings of worship and prayers</p><p><br> One specific advantage of online services has been the ability to broadcast weddings and funerals online. This has enabled family and friends to join in from across the world who may have been prevented from travelling.</p><p>The decision on whether to continue with some form of online resource alongside in-person worship will be taken at a parish level, taking into account the local community and accessibility needs.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 21/06/2021 15:14:59 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1337750

registered interest
date	17/06/2021
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Poverty
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 (a) prevent and (b) relieve poverty.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	17738
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2021 answer text <p>Through its parish and diocesan networks, the Church of England is involved in an estimated 35,000 local community projects. A 2020 survey by the National Churches Trust found that 78% of Church of England churches were involved in supporting or operating food banks. The report can be read here: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.houseofgood.nationalchurchestrust.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F10%2FHouse-of-Good-AW-digital-small.pdf&amp;data=04%7C01%7Csimon.stanley%40churchofengland.org%7Cf8533e96a17946d2672208d934c67d20%7C95e2463b3ab047b49ac1587c77ee84f0%7C0%7C0%7C637598849963294092%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=SM%2FUtwCLsfh09xjA7xrfqb5m11XeiopHv9tTc2kId3U%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.houseofgood.nationalchurchestrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/House-of-Good-AW-digital-small.pdf</a> <br> <br> The National Church Institutions are also investing in areas of low economic activity through strategic development funding. By the end of 2020, £56 million had been committed to areas of low economic activity through 77 projects. Of the 93 local authorities categorised by the Government as priority 1 for levelling-up, 48 contain projects receiving such funding. This is across 20 dioceses and focuses on younger generations and deprived communities in urban and rural contexts. Additional funding is also available to support parishes through lowest income communities funding and strategic transformation funding.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 21/06/2021 15:16:49 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1331175

registered interest
date	09/06/2021
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: Land
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 regenerative agriculture, plant more trees and be good stewards of hedgerows on its land.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	13059
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2021 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners work with their tenants to support the good stewardship of their land and are currently undertaking a natural capital assessment of its estate. The majority of our agricultural land is tenanted, and the Commissioners new farm business tenancies strongly encourage good environmental practice such as ensuring watercourses are kept clear, hedgerows are well maintained, and topsoil is preserved.</p><p>The Church Commissioners direct landholdings currently total 184,700 acres as of the end of December 2020. 92,000 acres were in our Rural Portfolio, including land allocated for strategic development and 92,700 acres in our Timberland Portfolio. 120,500 acres (65%) of the Commissioners total land holding are in the UK, with the rest held across the globe. More detail can be found in the latest annual report, which is available here: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchofengland.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2F2021-06%2FChurch%2520Commissioners%2520Annual%2520Report%25202020.pdf&amp;data=04%7C01%7Csimon.stanley%40churchofengland.org%7Ca1b74c9392014f7f0b7f08d93183a0cd%7C95e2463b3ab047b49ac1587c77ee84f0%7C0%7C0%7C637595264120014816%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=s37MxF9%2BYskgy%2Fay216jWHMXCRuO5c8OFd5EOpUlxbo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2021-06/Church%20Commissioners%20Annual%20Report%202020.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 17/06/2021 11:36:10 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1328072

registered interest
date	26/05/2021
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Death
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 steps the Church has taken to support people who have lost loved ones during the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	7823
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2021 answer text <p>Throughout the pandemic, the Church of England has operated an online book of remembrance to help families commemorate loved ones lost during this period. In addition, the Church has continued to operate its grief counselling services at a parish level to support those in the community in need. Across the country, parishes have also broadcast funerals virtually, allowing family and friends of the deceased across the globe to participate in the ceremony. <br> <br> Discussions have now started at St Paul's Cathedral about a permanent memorial. Conversations are at the early stages of exploring a new memorial within the cathedral to create a space to remember all those we have lost to this virus. Other local memorials or commemorations are also being considered where appropriate.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 17/06/2021 11:37:06 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1306873

registered interest
date	12/04/2021
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: Farms
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 average length of term agreed on farm business tenancies let by the Church Commissioners, other than in cases where a tenancy is replacing a previous tenancy let under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986, was in each of the last five years to 2020.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	178589
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2021 answer text <p>In the last five years, ending with 2020, the average length of the term granted for new farm business tenancies over 50 acres across the Commissioners’ rural portfolio was:</p><table><tbody><tr><td>2016</td><td><p>4.1</p></td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>4.9</td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td>3.6</td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td>3.5</td></tr><tr><td>2020</td><td>2.3</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Such averages do not reflect the size of the holdings which were let during this period or the circumstances and rationale for each new farm letting.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 22/04/2021 15:55:16 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous previous answer version 95862 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

1305478

registered interest
date	24/03/2021
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: Farms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, other than in cases where a tenancy is replacing a previous tenancy let under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 how many tenancies have been let (a) for an initial fixed term of five years or less (b) for an initial fixed term of five years or more in each of the last five years, ending with 2020.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	174830
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/04/2021 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners’ and their managing agents review the term of each new farm letting and all tenancy renewals on a case by case basis. In the period 2016 to 2020, the number of holdings let by the Church Commissioners on a Farm Business Tenancy (on an area of more than 50 acres) for a term under five years is 64, with a further 30 new tenancies offered for a term of 5 years or more. Each holding is assessed at the time of letting, and other factors considered when determining term length.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 13/04/2021 07:46:04 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1305479

registered interest
date	24/03/2021
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: Farms
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 average level of compensation paid for tenants’ improvements following the expiry of farm tenancies let by the Church Commissioners was in each of the last five years, ending with 2020.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	174831
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/04/2021 answer text <p>Compensation payments made by the Commissioners to their tenants are of a commercially sensitive nature. <br> The Church Commissioners discuss land and environmental improvement works with their agricultural tenants on an ongoing basis with a view to supporting enhancements to holdings. End of tenancy payments are made as appropriate to the scale and value of such improvement made.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 13/04/2021 07:46:14 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon