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457721

registered interest
date	04/03/2016
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 assessment she has made of the potential effect of the proposed changes to the Landfill Communities Fund on the restoration and repair of listed church properties and church buildings.
tabling member constituency	Scunthorpe
tabling member printed	Nic Dakin
uin	29810
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2016 answer text <p>The Church of England has engaged with the recent consultation from the Treasury over the future of the Landfill Communities Fund. Local churches are able to apply to the fund to support restoration, extension and repair projects.</p><p>Local parishes have benefitted from this generosity since its creation in 1996. Over its lifetime the scheme has enabled churches across the country to benefit from an approximate £75 million worth of repairs. As part of its submission the Church of England asked the Treasury to consider reducing the administrative burdens on applicants to the fund.</p><p>The Church has since received assurances that the scheme will continue and we await with interest further detailed announcements from the Treasury regarding the operation of the fund.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 10/03/2016 16:45:34 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	4056 label Biography information for Nic Dakin

444139

registered interest
date	12/01/2016
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Churches: South West
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 grants the Church Commissioners have given to churches in (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall from the Roof Repair Fund in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Torridge and West Devon
tabling member printed	Mr Geoffrey Cox
uin	22084
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2016 answer text <p>The Listed Places of Worship Roof Repair Fund grants are distributed by the National Heritage Memorial Fund, on behalf of the Government. There has been one round of grants to date, announced in March 2015,</p><p>(a) 22 churches in Devon were offered grants totalling £1,199,700</p><p>(b) 7 churches in Cornwall were offered grants totalling £492,700.</p><p /> <p>A second round to distribute a further £25 million allocated by the Treasury is currently open, with applications closing on Friday, 26 February.</p><br /> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 15/01/2016 09:51:56 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	1508 label Biography information for Sir Geoffrey Cox

443811

registered interest
date	11/01/2016
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Church Commissioners: UK Membership of EU
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 contingency arrangements the Church Commissioners have made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.
tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
uin	21936
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2016 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners and the Church of England Pensions Board manage their investment portfolios using high quality well diversified and long term strategies. The Church Commissioners and Pensions Board believe that they are well positioned for any market re-pricing or uncertainty that may prevail prior to or after the referendum.</p><br /> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 15/01/2016 09:53:04 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

432202

registered interest
date	25/11/2015
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: Cinemas
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 investment the Church of England has in cinemas and buildings housing cinemas.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
uin	17708
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2015 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners’ UK investments include just over £300,000 of directly held cinema group shares. In addition the Commissioners have indirect investment exposure to cinemas via property holdings in the Metrocentre, Bluewater and Cheshire Oaks retail shopping centres, all of which contain cinemas. Finally, the Commissioners have identified a very small indirect exposure to a cinema in our UK private equity portfolio.</p><br /> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 30/11/2015 16:55:09 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

432203

registered interest
date	25/11/2015
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: Newspaper Press
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, in which (a) local and (b) national newspapers the Church of England plans to place advertisements with the text of the Lord's Prayer.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
uin	17709
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2015 answer text <p>The Church of England has no plans advertisements of the Lords Prayer in local or national newspapers. Many national and local newspapers have already covered the story. As of 27<sup>th</sup> November 2015 online articles had received over 5.15 million views.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 30/11/2015 16:56:56 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

432204

registered interest
date	25/11/2015
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Cemeteries: Vandalism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, how many graves in each church yard in each diocese in England were vandalised in 2014.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
uin	17710
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2015 answer text <p>The information requested is not retained at the national level and would incur a disproportionate cost to produce.</p><p /> <p>Wilful damage and theft of monumental stonework causes much emotional and financial distress. The Church is continuing to work with local Dioceses, police, insurers and local communities to improve security and awareness.</p><br /> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 30/11/2015 16:57:46 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

423838

registered interest
date	26/10/2015
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Church Commissioners: Credit Unions
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 Commissioners are taking to promote the use of credit unions in the work of the Church of England; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	13505
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2015 answer text <p>The Church of England’s work in support of credit unionshas been led by the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Task Group on Responsible Credit and Savings, chaired by Sir Hector Sants. Nationally, the Task Group has developed a number of strategic, church-led initiatives, including matching the resources of local churches with the diverse needs of local credit unions through the Church Credit Champions Network. To date, the pilot scheme has engaged over 200 churches, trained 150 Credit Champions and is on target to bring in 3,000+ new credit union members across London, Southwark and Liverpool dioceses, with plans to roll out to 30 more dioceses from next year.</p><p>The Church of England is also running the ‘LifeSavers’ programme which is piloting a holistic financial education programme linked to savings clubs in primary schools. This was trialled successfully in Church of England primary schools during 2015 and will be rolled out to a further 120 church and community schools from early 2016, helping to raise the profile of credit unions in these communities.</p><p>Locally, dioceses and churches are involved in a wide range of activities in support of credit unions, from running mass sign-ups and marketing campaigns and recruiting volunteers to the board of credit unions to hosting access points in church building and promoting payroll saving through links with local employers. According to a Church Urban Fund survey, 17% of Anglican parishes are actively involved in supporting credit unions in various ways. This activity has generated widespread coverage in national and local media, raising public awareness of credit unions. Further information is available on our dedicated website: <a href="http://www.toyourcredit.org.uk/" target="_blank">www.toyourcredit.org.uk</a></p><br /> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 28/10/2015 12:03:33 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

416766

registered interest
date	04/09/2015
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, which non-redundant Church of England churches in the Diocese of Blackburn (a) have and (b) do not have food bank collection points.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
uin	8578
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2015 answer text <p><br></p><p>The Diocese of Blackburn works closely with ‘Together Lancashire’, a church-linked social action network run by Church Urban Fund. According to ‘together Lancashire’ there are currently around 36 food banks in the diocese of Blackburn, of which 6 are Trussell Trust foodbanks (Blacburn, Fylde, Ribble Valley, Morecombe Bay, Skelmserdale and Ormskirk). These food banks handed out an estimated 35,000 food parcels in 2014.</p><p><br></p><p>Nearly all these initiatives are church-led (though not necessarily Church of England) projects. A directory and map of food banks in Lancashire (including the unitary authorities of Blackpool and Blackburn &amp; Darwen) is available at: <a href="http://www.cuf.org.uk/node/618257" target="_blank">http://www.cuf.org.uk/node/618257</a></p><p><br></p><p>Separately, a Church in Action survey of Church of England clergy, which was published in January 2015, included a series of questions about church support for food banks. 1,812 church leaders took part in the survey. Of the 39 responses from Blackburn diocese:</p><p><br></p><ul><ul><li><p>31 churches (80%) were involved in some way in supporting a local food bank</p></li><li><p>6 offered church premises for the food bank</p></li><li><p>11 were helping to manage a food bank</p></li><li><p>14 were providing volunteers</p></li><li><p>29 were collecting food</p></li></ul></ul><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 08/09/2015 16:16:51 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

416767

registered interest
date	04/09/2015
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Churches: North West
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, which Church of England churches in the Diocese of (a) Blackburn, (b) Manchester, (c) Liverpool and (d) Carlisle were sold in 2014; and how many such churches were sold to (i) other named protestant churches, (ii) named orthodox churches, (iii) other named Christian organisations, (iv) named non-Christian organisations, (v) organisations planning to use them for housing and (vi) organisations planning to use them for other named community uses.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
uin	8994
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2015 answer text <p>From the records held centrally by the Church Commissioners, Closed Churches Division of the four dioceses mentioned only two closed churches were sold in 2014, both in the Diocese of Manchester, Primarily for use for nursery, playschool and other educational purposes, but not to named institutions. <br></p><p> </p><p>Very few Church of England church buildings are closed for regular public worship in any year and where such buildings are closed, the duty placed on the Diocese and the Church Commissioners is to seek a suitable use for the building.</p><p> </p><p>In 2014, in addition to the two closed church buildings mentioned above a further 14 closed Church of England buildings were sold and 3 leased across England: 5 for community purposes; 3 for use as a monument; 5 for residential use; and 4 for worship by other Christian bodies.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 09/09/2015 15:23:15 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

416768

registered interest
date	04/09/2015
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, which Church of England churches in the Diocese of Blackburn were subject to metal theft from rooves in (a) 2012, (b) 2013 and (c) 2014; and which such churches were redundant.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
uin	8993
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2015 answer text <p>With regards to open churches the number of churches in the Blackburn Diocese which have suffered from metal theft can be found on the chart below. The chart shows the volume of claims have dropped dramatically since 2011 when the Scrap Metal Dealers Act was enforced there are still a small number of persistent gangs operating across the country who continue to damage and vandalise these local community assets. The total number of thefts does not tell the whole story as the cost to the individual parish which has suffered the damage is often considerable to repair, replace and take preventative steps against future thefts.</p><table><tbody><tr><td>Year Claim Made</td><td>2011</td><td>2012</td><td>2013</td><td>2014</td><td><p>Total</p></td></tr><tr><td>Dicoese of Blackburn</td><td>73</td><td>27</td><td>14</td><td>13</td><td>127</td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Churches listed below have registered 50 thefts in the specified period and are the worst effected, in addition to the list below 49 other churches have registered 77 claims in this period.</p><p><br></p><p> </p><p><strong>Listed</strong></p><p> </p><p>1 Lytham St Cuthbert – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>2 Colne St Bartholomew – Grade1</p><p> </p><p>3 Chorley St George – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>4 Chorley St Peter – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>5 Charnock Richard Christ Church – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>6 Cockerham St Michael – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>7 Hoole St Michael – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>8 Bamber Bridge St Saviour – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>9 Grimsargh St Michael – Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>10 Walton-le-Dale St Leonard – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>11 Church Kirk St James – Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>12 Accrington St John Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>13 Over Kellet St Cuthbert Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>14 Leyland St James Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>15 Mellor St Mary Grade II</p><p> </p><p>16 Douglas in Parbold Christ Church Grade 11</p><p> </p><p>17 Kirkham St Michael Grade 11*</p><p> </p><p>18 Woodplumpton St Anne – Grade11*</p><p> </p><p>19 Chorley St Laurence – Grade 11 *</p><p> </p><p>20 Bolton le Sands Holy Trinity – Grade11*</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Unlisted</strong></p><p> </p><p>21 Blackburn St Luke with St Philip</p><p> </p><p>22 Layton St Mark</p><p> </p><p>23 Thornton le Fylde Christ Church</p><p> </p><p>24 Fleetwood St Nicholas</p><p>25 Little Thornton St John</p><p>Closed churches are the responsibility for the care and maintenance of a closed church rests with the Diocesan Board of Finance during the time that a use is being sought following closure. There are currently very few closed churches in the Diocese of Blackburn and we are not aware that there has been lead roof theft from any closed church in Blackburn Diocese in the years from 2012. We are aware of one earlier theft of lead from the roof of a former church building in the Great Harwood area of Accrington. This building has since been demolished and the site sold for residential development.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 09/09/2015 13:10:26 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick