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1656004

registered interest
date	01/09/2023
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: Derelict 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 of England is taking to release brownfield sites within its Estate to the Church Housing Association to increase social housing.
tabling member constituency	Solihull
tabling member printed	Julian Knight
uin	196061
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>Following the ‘Coming Home’ report published by the Archbishops’ Housing Commission, the Bishop of Chelmsford (as Lead Bishop for Housing) has been working with colleagues from across the Church, including the Church Commissioners, to implement the recommendations from that report. This work includes plans to establish a Church Housing Association. As and when that Housing Association is in place we hope there will be scope for the Commissioners and other church land owners to be able to work in partnership with it to enable the construction of much-needed affordable homes.</p><p>At the same time, the Church Commissioners are exploring the potential to boost the supply of affordable homes on their own land through the provision of Rural Exception Sites within existing communities.</p><p>More information about the Archbishops’ Housing Commission, and its Report ‘Coming Home’, can be read here: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchofengland.org%2Fabout%2Farchbishops-commissions%2Fhousing-church-and-community%2Fabout-coming-home&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard.chapman%40churchofengland.org%7C743208e83b2c45ca7b3108dbb83284db%7C95e2463b3ab047b49ac1587c77ee84f0%7C0%7C0%7C638306301073096308%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=1SAhRzdUgiChN0%2FtN0O803jj8sJGQFLqqWsRZeWfCkw%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">About Coming Home | The Church of England</a>.</p><p>Information on the Church Commissioners’ approach to delivering land for housing can be found here <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchofengland.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2F2022-05%2Fupdated-strategic-land-statement_march-2022_0.pdf&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard.chapman%40churchofengland.org%7C743208e83b2c45ca7b3108dbb83284db%7C95e2463b3ab047b49ac1587c77ee84f0%7C0%7C0%7C638306301073096308%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ydYb0NBNsRfVlYG1OBHg03sWDKhu8sCePS62qs0REX4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">New development – defining what matters (churchofengland.org)</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 19/09/2023 15:57:38 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1654855

registered interest
date	20/07/2023
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
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 takes to gather feedback from its congregation to inform future plans.
tabling member constituency	Solihull
tabling member printed	Julian Knight
uin	195512
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>The Church of England comprises many independent charitable organisations that operate at a national, regional and local level.</p><p>Individual congregations are represented by the members of their local parochial church council (PCC), and issues can be raised at deanery, diocesan and national synod. Diocesan motions can be brought for debate to the Church of England’s (national) General Synod.</p><p>Consultations will often take place at a diocesan or national level when there are proposed changes in policy (for example the public consultation on the review of the Mission and Pastoral Measure), or for senior episcopal appointments. <br> <br> Where changes are proposed that require legislation in the General Synod on, for example, certain liturgies or relationships with other churches, the legislation providing for the change must be debated in every Diocesan Synod before a final vote is taken in the General Synod.</p><p>The National Church Institutions (NCIs) regularly monitor their projects and request feedback. A recent example is the 2022 report produced by Sir Robert Chote (<a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/review-lowest-income-communities-and-strategic-development-funding" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/review-lowest-income-communities-and-strategic-development-funding</a> ) assessing the impact of the Lowest Income Communities Fund and Strategic Development Funding. Following the Chote Report the Church Commissioners and Archbishops’ Council formed the new Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board. More information about it can be found here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/new-board-oversee-unprecedented-church-england-investment-mission-and" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/new-board-oversee-unprecedented-church-england-investment-mission-and</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/09/2023 20:04:30 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1654856

registered interest
date	20/07/2023
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
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 takes to (a) measure the effectiveness of its engagement initiatives and (b) make adjustments based on the feedback received.
tabling member constituency	Solihull
tabling member printed	Julian Knight
uin	195513
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>The Church of England comprises many independent charitable organisations that operate at a national, regional and local level.</p><p>Individual congregations are represented by the members of their local parochial church council (PCC), and issues can be raised at deanery, diocesan and national synod. Diocesan motions can be brought for debate to the Church of England’s (national) General Synod.</p><p>Consultations will often take place at a diocesan or national level when there are proposed changes in policy (for example the public consultation on the review of the Mission and Pastoral Measure), or for senior episcopal appointments.</p><p>Where changes are proposed that require legislation in the General Synod on, for example, certain liturgies or relationships with other churches, the legislation providing for the change must be debated in every Diocesan Synod before a final vote is taken in the General Synod.</p><p>The National Church Institutions (NCIs) regularly monitor their projects and request feedback. A recent example is the 2022 report produced by Sir Robert Chote (<a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/review-lowest-income-communities-and-strategic-development-funding" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/review-lowest-income-communities-and-strategic-development-funding</a> ) assessing the impact of the Lowest Income Communities Fund and Strategic Development Funding. Following the Chote Report the Church Commissioners and Archbishops’ Council formed the new Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board. More information about it can be found here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/new-board-oversee-unprecedented-church-england-investment-mission-and" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/new-board-oversee-unprecedented-church-england-investment-mission-and</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/09/2023 20:07:24 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1654859

registered interest
date	20/07/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Community Relations: Religion
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 foster inter-faith dialogue and collaboration with other religious communities.
tabling member constituency	Solihull
tabling member printed	Julian Knight
uin	195515
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>Parish ministry is at the heart of Church of England ministry and mission, including in areas that are religiously diverse.</p><p>The 2005 report <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/presence_and_engagement_report-2005.pdf" target="_blank"><em>Presence and Engagement: the church’s task in a multi Faith society</em></a> gave special attention to the role of the parish church in areas where there was a high proportion of people from other religions. Following this the <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/about/building-relationships/interfaith-relations" target="_blank">Presence and Engagement</a> programme aims to support and resource the Church of England in its engagement serving all religious communities: ‘loving, serving and witnessing to people of all faiths in the name of Christ, and being enriched and renewed in our own faith by doing so’. This vision is put into practice by the Presence &amp; Engagement Programme, the Presence &amp; Engagement Task Group, and a network of Diocesan Inter Faith Advisers.</p><p>The Presence and Engagement programme enables clergy and lay people to act with confidence and sensitivity at times of tension across religious boundaries, including times when global politics impacts local relations. Support provided includes theological resources, for example, <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-11/godsunfailingwordweb.pdf" target="_blank"><em>Gods Unfailing Word,</em></a> which was published in 2019 and informs and educates Anglicans about the Christian-Jewish relationship, with the aim of better dialogue and stronger relationships between Christian and Jewish communities. These resources are also used in ongoing work with theological colleges to assist in the training of new priests.</p><p>The Archbishop of Canterbury is Patron of both the <a href="https://ccj.org.uk/sites/ccj.hocext.co.uk/files/2023-01/Holocaust%20Memorial%202023%20-V2.pdf" target="_blank">Council of Christians and Jews</a> (CCJ) and the <a href="https://www.christianmuslimforum.org/" target="_blank">Christian Muslim Forum.</a> Both organisations are actively working at national and grassroots levels to boost dialogue, understanding and collaboration between different religions.</p><p><a href="https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/news-and-statements/archbishop-justin-and-chief-rabbi-mirvis-join-final-meeting-good-faith" target="_blank"><em>In Good Faith</em></a> is a national initiative co-sponsored by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Chief Rabbi, which has been promoting dialogue and collaboration between Anglican priests and Orthodox rabbis since 2016.</p><p>The Church of England has a network of Inter Faith Advisers in most regions across England, who work to model, encourage and resource the development of positive relationships between different religious communities locally. Examples include building relationships through Church/Mosque Twinning partnerships, or collaborating on local foodbanks, as well as putting on educational programmes for clergy and lay people in the diocese. Two notable examples are:</p><ul><li>The <a href="https://www.stphilipscentre.co.uk/" target="_blank">St Philips Centre</a> in Leicester. A unique initiative that for over a decade has been working within the Christian community and across wider society, enabling ‘communities and individuals to encounter one another in meaningful ways, to build understanding and trust’. It is leading efforts across the region to ensure religion and belief are harnessed for the good of all.</li></ul><ul><li><a href="https://www.fncbham.org.uk/presence-and-engagement/" target="_blank">FNC in Birmingham</a> helps churches in their engagement with people of other faiths, whether through mission, evangelism, dialogue or social action, and is part of <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/about/work-other-faiths/about-presence-engagement" target="_blank">The Church of England’s Presence and Engagement Programme</a>. The <a href="https://www.fncbham.org.uk/birmingham-conversations/" target="_blank">Birmingham Conversations</a> are an example of an FNC initiative which creates safe space for people of all faiths and none to discuss issues of faith and public life.</li></ul><p>The Coronation of King Charles III included participation by other faith representatives for the first time, a very public affirmation of the national role of the Church of England in serving all religious communities.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/09/2023 20:00:47 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1654860

registered interest
date	20/07/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Clergy
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 and empower lay leaders to take an active role in Church ministries and activities.
tabling member constituency	Solihull
tabling member printed	Julian Knight
uin	195516
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>In 2017 the ‘Setting God’s People Free’ initiative was launched, which aims to empower and equip those called to lay leadership in the Church of England.</p><p>The original report of February 2017 for the General Synod is available here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/about/renewal-reform/setting-gods-people-free" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/about/renewal-reform/setting-gods-people-free</a></p><p>A 2019 update paper for the General Synod is available here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-06/gs-2145-sgpf-update-to-gs-final-draft-3.6.19.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-06/gs-2145-sgpf-update-to-gs-final-draft-3.6.19.pdf</a></p><p>In 2020 the Church of England’s Faith and Order Commission published ‘Kingdom Calling’, which examined past attempts to encourage more lay leadership, looking in turn at the vocation, ministry and discipleship of all God's people, and asking what kind of theological thinking and imagining might most help us to flourish together. The report affirms and celebrates the vital lay and ordained ministry roles that support the church in God's mission, and identifies changes in practice that can better foster the vocation, ministry and discipleship of the whole people of God.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/09/2023 19:40:18 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1654861

registered interest
date	20/07/2023
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: Schools
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 collaborate with local schools and educational institutions to promote positive values and to engage with students and educators.
tabling member constituency	Solihull
tabling member printed	Julian Knight
uin	195517
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>Church of England schools are community schools educating over a million children a day. As a community school in many parts of the country, particularly our major cities, this means the majority of pupils are from non-Christian backgrounds, from other faith communities and from global majority ethnic backgrounds. All Church of England schools follow the national curriculum and also the Church of England’s <em>vision for education</em>, prioritising education of the whole child and promoting the spiritual, intellectual and emotional resources needed to live a good life. The vision for education encourages the development of the skills of wisdom, hope, community and respect; fostering a society where people can work together and have an understanding of British values, democracy, rule of law and the dignity of the human person. More details about this vision and the church schools can be found here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/about/education-and-schools" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/about/education-and-schools</a><br> <strong><br> </strong>Awards of nearly £13 million have been made for dioceses to help churches support more children, young people and families. The grants from the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board of the Archbishops’ Council will revitalise parishes and start new congregations. The investments build on already successful projects to create new congregations and reach children and young people in areas including Bolton, Bournemouth, Guildford, Southampton and Wakefield. More information is available here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/church-england-announces-ps13-million-grants-reach-children-youth-and?utm_source=Daily+media+digest&amp;utm_campaign=ba03a2c802-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_27_02_01_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_296e14724b-ba03a2c802-248596957&amp;mc_cid=ba03a2c802&amp;mc_eid=00c4419747" target="_blank">Church of England announces £13 million of grants to reach children, youth and families | The Church of England</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/09/2023 19:38:26 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1653938

registered interest
date	18/07/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Churches: Closures
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 churches have been closed by the Church of England in each of the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	194796
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>Between 2010 and 2019, 209 consecrated churches were formally closed, which amounted to just over 1%. Since the 1990s the rate of closure has remained steady at 20-25 per year out of a total of around 16,000 church buildings. It is important to note that new churches are also being built and that some congregations meet in other kinds of buildings.</p><p>More information can be found in the annual reports of the Church Commissioners, which are available in the House of Commons Library, or online here, in the sections for ‘Mission, Pastoral and Church Property’ or ‘Pastoral Administration’: <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>Churches are first and foremost places of worship. The 2017 Taylor Review into sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals ( <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/669667/Taylor_Review_Final.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/669667/Taylor_Review_Final.pdf</a> ) found that the Government could also enable the church to serve local communities better by reviewing planning law around listed buildings, to enable Local Authorities to think more imaginatively about diversification and wider use. For over a decade the Church of England’s own ‘open and sustainable churches’ programme, has encouraged churches to consider partnering with a wide variety of community resources (e.g. post offices, village shops, children’s play areas, credit unions, foodbanks, co-working spaces) in sharing space: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/sharing-your-building-and-finding" target="_blank">Sharing your building and finding partners | The Church of England</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/09/2023 20:19:22 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1653939

registered interest
date	18/07/2023
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 Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what the Church of England's estimate is of the capital cost of outstanding repairs for parish churches.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	194797
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>The National Church Institutions do not hold statistics on outstanding repairs for parish churches, collectively or by diocese.</p><p>The Church Commissioners and Archbishops' Council have agreed funding of £11 million for 2023-25 in support of Buildings for Mission, which includes £2m for places of worship maintenance/repairs, and funding for up to 20 support officers to work with communities on the care of their church buildings. This is alongside a one-off commitment of £190 million (over nine years) to support the whole Church, including its buildings, in the transition towards Net Zero 2030.</p><p>12,500 church buildings are listed, with 45% of all England's Grade I listed buildings being cathedrals and churches. The average annual cost for the maintenance and repairs to parish churches alone is estimated at £150 million, and the maintenance of our churches across the country is mostly financed by generous local donors and volunteers. Support and advice, including on available grants, is available from ChurchCare: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare(opens in a new tab)</a></p><p>The Church remains grateful for the continuation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme as it was for the Culture Recovery Fund. Money invested in church buildings has positive benefits to the wider community: the 2021 House of Good report by the National Churches Trust (<a href="https://www.houseofgood.nationalchurchestrust.org/" target="_blank">https://www.houseofgood.nationalchurchestrust.org/(opens in a new tab)</a>) found that &quot;the annual social and economic value of church buildings to the UK is worth around £55 billion. This sum, calculated using the latest HM Treasury Green Book guidance, includes the contribution churches make to wellbeing and to local economies.&quot;</p><p>By means of an amendment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill in the House of Lords, the Government has recently agreed to make it clear that churches are legally able to access Local Authority grant funding. This clarification is very welcome and comes in response to many years of advocacy by church, heritage and Local Authority groups. The removal of ambiguity means that Local Authorities and parish councils in England will enable seed funding to repair, restore and upgrade facilities, helping churches to continue to serve their local communities as worship spaces, community hubs, and through social action projects.</p><p>The Church is committed to engaging with the Government on the implementation of the recommendations of the 2017 Taylor Review into the sustainability of church buildings (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-taylor-review-sustainability-of-english-churches-and-cathedrals" target="_blank">The Taylor Review: Sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab)</a>)</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous grouped question UIN 194798 question first answered 12/09/2023 20:25:15 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1653940

registered interest
date	18/07/2023
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 Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what the Church of England's estimate is of the capital cost of outstanding repairs for parish churches in each diocese.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	194798
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>The National Church Institutions do not hold statistics on outstanding repairs for parish churches, collectively or by diocese.</p><p>The Church Commissioners and Archbishops' Council have agreed funding of £11 million for 2023-25 in support of Buildings for Mission, which includes £2m for places of worship maintenance/repairs, and funding for up to 20 support officers to work with communities on the care of their church buildings. This is alongside a one-off commitment of £190 million (over nine years) to support the whole Church, including its buildings, in the transition towards Net Zero 2030.</p><p>12,500 church buildings are listed, with 45% of all England's Grade I listed buildings being cathedrals and churches. The average annual cost for the maintenance and repairs to parish churches alone is estimated at £150 million, and the maintenance of our churches across the country is mostly financed by generous local donors and volunteers. Support and advice, including on available grants, is available from ChurchCare: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare(opens in a new tab)</a></p><p>The Church remains grateful for the continuation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme as it was for the Culture Recovery Fund. Money invested in church buildings has positive benefits to the wider community: the 2021 House of Good report by the National Churches Trust (<a href="https://www.houseofgood.nationalchurchestrust.org/" target="_blank">https://www.houseofgood.nationalchurchestrust.org/(opens in a new tab)</a>) found that &quot;the annual social and economic value of church buildings to the UK is worth around £55 billion. This sum, calculated using the latest HM Treasury Green Book guidance, includes the contribution churches make to wellbeing and to local economies.&quot;</p><p>By means of an amendment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill in the House of Lords, the Government has recently agreed to make it clear that churches are legally able to access Local Authority grant funding. This clarification is very welcome and comes in response to many years of advocacy by church, heritage and Local Authority groups. The removal of ambiguity means that Local Authorities and parish councils in England will enable seed funding to repair, restore and upgrade facilities, helping churches to continue to serve their local communities as worship spaces, community hubs, and through social action projects.</p><p>The Church is committed to engaging with the Government on the implementation of the recommendations of the 2017 Taylor Review into the sustainability of church buildings (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-taylor-review-sustainability-of-english-churches-and-cathedrals" target="_blank">The Taylor Review: Sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab)</a>)</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous grouped question UIN 194797 question first answered 12/09/2023 20:25:15 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1653437

registered interest
date	17/07/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Independent Safeguarding Board
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, with reference to the announcement by the Archbishop of York of an independent inquiry into the decision to close down the Independent Safeguarding Board, if he will publish a copy of the inquiry's finings once available.
tabling member constituency	Exeter
tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
uin	194316
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2023 answer text <p>The Archbishop of York has committed that the findings of this review will be made public.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 25/07/2023 15:23:48 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw