Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label previous answer version answering member constituency answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1687728

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Churches: Security
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 funds the Commissioners allocate to churches for (a) cameras, (b) alarms and (c) other security equipment.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	13262
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2024 answer text <p>All churches are eligible to apply for the Home Office hate crime scheme if they need support with new or upgrading equipment or facilities. <br> The <a href="https://benefacttrust.co.uk/" target="_blank">Benefact Trust</a> has funded alarms for churches. More details are available on the Church of England website about how to support parishes with resources and advice: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/security-and-crime-prevention" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/security-and-crime-prevention</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 08/02/2024 17:58:37 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1681605

registered interest
date	11/01/2024
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Churches: Georgeham
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 funding is available for Georgeham Parish Council to apply for to repair the parish church grounds and supporting boundary walls.
tabling member constituency	North Devon
tabling member printed	Selaine Saxby
uin	9309
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2024 answer text <p>If the churchyard is open, then the Parochial Church Council is responsible for maintenance and upkeep. If it has been closed for burials by Order in Council, the statutory responsibility falls to the Local Authority unless a local arrangement has been reached. I will ask the diocese to make contact with the Parochial Church Council and Local Authority to see if they can offer advice.</p><p>Local Authorities are able to make small grants available to Parochial Church Councils to support the maintenance and upkeep of a churchyard, whether open or closed. The Church Commissioners are grateful to the Government for its clarification of the law in the recent Levelling Up and Regeneration Act, which now enables Local Authorities like all other faith communities to give grants to parish churches who need support with the maintenance of their buildings and fabric.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 30/01/2024 18:50:11 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4863 label Biography information for Selaine Saxby

1681257

registered interest
date	10/01/2024
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Paula Vennells
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 role Paula Vennells had in advising the Commissioners after 2019; and which committees she attended.
tabling member constituency	West Dorset
tabling member printed	Chris Loder
uin	9090
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2024 answer text <p>In the spring of 2019 the House of Bishops discussed why some of the recommendations of the Church Buildings Review, which was approved by the General Synod in November 2015, had not been implemented. Paula Vennells was subsequently asked by the Archbishops to undertake a lessons learnt review. During the course of the review its remit was expanded to look at the wider working together of the National Church Institutions (NCIs), including issues around organisational governance, leadership and culture. The report, ‘Church Buildings Review- Lessons Learnt’, was completed in October 2019 and Paula Vennells attended a meeting of the House of Bishops in December 2019 at which it was presented.</p><p>In February 2020 Paula Vennells was invited to attend the Church Commissioners Board of Governors for a discussion of the Lessons Learnt report, but she was unable to attend and the report was considered in her absence. The Lessons Learnt report was considered by the Archbishops’ Council in March 2020, again in the absence of Paula Vennells, who was invited but unable to attend.</p><p>In March 2020 the Archbishops established a Coordinating Group, to continue the work of the Triennium Funding Working Group, and to coordinate certain strands of national work for the Church during the Covid 19 pandemic. Paula Vennells was invited to join the Coordinating Group and to lead on the part focusing on Governance. She attended three meetings of the Group, in April, May and June 2020 and sent apologies to two further meetings in June and July, before withdrawing from the work. The Coordinating Group became what is now the Emerging Church Steering Group. A Governance Review group under the Chairmanship of the Bishop of Leeds proceeded from August 2020, without the involvement of Paula Vennells.</p><p>The Ethical Investment Advisory Group (EIAG) is convened and funded by the three National Investment Bodies, to whom it provides ethical investment advice. Paula Vennells was appointed to the EIAG by its Nominations Committee and was a member between March 2019 and April 2021. She attended two meetings, in March and October 2019, and sent apologies for meetings thereafter until she took leave of absence from the Group from June 2020, lasting until her resignation in April 2021. More information about the EIAG can be found here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/about/leadership-and-governance/ethical-investment-advisory-group" target="_blank">Ethical Investment Advisory Group | The Church of England</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 15/01/2024 17:07:36 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4751 label Biography information for Chris Loder

1679012

registered interest
date	19/12/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Churches: Nigeria
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 the Church has had discussions with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on the attack on the St Francis Xavier Church in Owo, Nigeria in 2022; and whether the Church is providing aid for the victims of that attack.
tabling member constituency	Gainsborough
tabling member printed	Sir Edward Leigh
uin	7472
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2024 answer text <p>The Archbishop of Canterbury issued a statement at the time of the attack on the Roman Catholic Church of St Francis Xavier in 2022, saying: “The massacre of worshippers – men, women and children – during a Mass in South-west Nigeria was an act of pure evil and a profound offence to God. My prayers are with all affected by this barbaric attack. I continue to pray for the nation of Nigeria.” The Archbishop meets often with politicians and clergy from Nigeria and has raised the issues of inter community and inter-religious violence.</p><p>Bishops of the Church of England are in regular discussion with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on matters affecting freedom of religion or belief, including in Nigeria. On 6<sup>th</sup> June 2022 the Lord Bishop of Leeds asked a question of the Minister of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the House of Lords, during exchanges on an answer to an urgent question on the attacks. He stressed that while condemnation by religious leaders was necessary and important, it often had limited impact on the self-proclaimed and ideologically-driven religious groupings and organisations behind such attacks.</p><p><a href="https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2022-06-06/debates/B6A5FF6E-A393-4201-9A75-BEBB56A981CD/details#contribution-22B83542-1AF7-4AB0-B1B6-B6D78F081CF2" target="_blank">https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2022-06-06/debates/B6A5FF6E-A393-4201-9A75-BEBB56A981CD/details#contribution-22B83542-1AF7-4AB0-B1B6-B6D78F081CF2</a></p><p>The Church has not provided any direct financial aid to the victims of this attack, but through its diocesan companion links with Nigeria and the work of its voluntary mission agencies it is continuing to support the Church in Nigeria more broadly as it responds to violations of freedom of religion or belief.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/02/2024 15:33:16 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous previous answer version 11558 answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	345 label Biography information for Sir Edward Leigh

1675088

registered interest
date	04/12/2023
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: Energy
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 Church will have discussions with the Dioceses of (a) Hereford and (b) Lichfield on support with energy costs.
tabling member constituency	The Wrekin
tabling member printed	Mark Pritchard
uin	4961
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2023 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners are in regular contact with the Dioceses of Hereford and Lichfield. During the winter of 2022-23, due to dramatic increases in energy costs, £3million of Church Commissioners’ funding was made available through the Archbishops’ Council to support additional ministry hardship funding for clergy and lay workers, and a further £15million was similarly made available in energy cost support funding for dioceses to allocate primarily to Parochial Church Councils. This money was in addition to the dioceses' own ministry hardship funding and discretionary funding.</p><p>There is no plan to offer a similar scheme this year over and above the money already available through diocesean discretionary and hardship funds.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 15/12/2023 15:02:00 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	1576 label Biography information for Mark Pritchard

1670313

registered interest
date	15/11/2023
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: 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, whether the Church of England is taking steps to advocate for freedom of religion and belief in other countries.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	2135
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2023 answer text <p>Over the past two years the Church of England has been closely involved with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in supporting the work of His Majesty's Ambassadors and diplomats, as part of a structured programme of engagement between the Church’s global networks and the civil service, to increase awareness of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB).</p><p>The Church was represented at the Government conference in 2022 that highlighted the need for increased global action on FoRB and continues to support the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief. More information about the work of the International Panel can be found here: <a href="https://www.ippforb.com/about/" target="_blank">https://www.ippforb.com/about/</a></p><p>Bishops of the global Anglican Communion came together for the Lambeth Conference in 2022 and spent a day discussing issues of interfaith engagement, human dignity and freedom of religion and belief. At the Conference a range of calls were made, outlining priorities for the Church worldwide. The documents relating to Freedom of Religion and religious persecution can be found under the Inter-Faith, Christian Unity and Human Dignity sections here: <a href="https://www.lambethconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/The-Lambeth-Calls-English-2023.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.lambethconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/The-Lambeth-Calls-English-2023.pdf(opens in a new tab)</a></p><p>The United Nations Security Council has recently adopted a resolution to produce an annual report on freedom of religion and belief. It was sponsored by the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, and the resolution was based on the former Bishop of Truro's review, commissioned by the UK Government. The Security Council adopted the proposal, which will see the UN Secretary General produce an oral report on FoRB-related threats to international peace and security.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 15/12/2023 14:54:00 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1670314

registered interest
date	15/11/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Church 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, if he will make an assessment of the contribution of church schools in (a) Hendon constituency and (b) the UK.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	2136
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2023 answer text <p>The Church of England educates over one million children in its 4,700 schools. Church of England schools are committed to the flourishing of children and deliver a rounded education that remains in high demand with parents. In Hendon an excellent example is St Mary's and St John's, a large, successful and thriving all-through school which yielded outstanding GCSE results this summer; the highest they have been.</p><p>The Church of England is one of the leading providers for leadership development, through National Professional Qualifications. These qualifications, in partnership with His Majesty's Government, have provided vital investment in leadership and teacher development at a time when attracting people into teaching faces numerous challenges. The Government's commitment in this area is welcome because it is a key part of ensuring improved outcomes for children, especially those who are most vulnerable.</p><p>The Church's contribution and vision for how the whole system can flourish is set out in <a href="https://www.cefel.org.uk/flourishingsystem/" target="_blank">Our Hope for a Flourishing Schools System - Foundation For Educational Leadership</a>. It explains that Church schools &quot;ensure a careful balance of wisdom, knowledge and skills in their curriculum planning, enabling their students not only to excel in examinations but releasing wise young leaders and courageous advocates, inspired and equipped to shape their future society. They are beacons of hope for the communities they serve, frequently standing as the most significant institution in a local area.&quot;</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 15/12/2023 14:55:32 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1670420

registered interest
date	15/11/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Churches: Mid Derbyshire
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 support the Commissioners provide to churches in Mid Derbyshire constituency on Historic England's Heritage at Risk.
tabling member constituency	Mid Derbyshire
tabling member printed	Mrs Pauline Latham
uin	2138
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2023 answer text <p>In the Mid Derbyshire constituency the Church of the Holy Trinity in Belper, and All Saints Church in Ockbrook and Borrowash, are on the 'At Risk Register'. Support and advice for parishes about the management of their building is available from their local Archdeacon, the Diocesan Advisory Committee and from the national ChurchCare website, including on available grants: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare</a></p><p>Around 2,500 Church of England buildings are listed by Historic England, 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 is estimated at £150 million, and the maintenance of churches across the country is mostly financed by generous local donors and volunteers.</p><p>The Church remains grateful for the continuation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. Money invested in church buildings brings 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/</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>The Government commissioned an independent review of the sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals in 2017, known as the 'Taylor Review'. The Church is still awaiting the formal response from the Government to this report; however, the National Church Institutions have started to implement several of the recommendations. The Taylor Review can be read here: <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)</a></p><p>In November 2023 the Church of England awarded £9 million to dioceses for repairs and specialist advice to parishes. This will fund 30 support officers across the country to give specialist advice on the management, conservation, repair and development of church buildings, including community use alongside worship. A further £6.2 million has been allocated across 41 dioceses for making grants of up to £12,000 for repairs to churches. The grants will focus on small-scale but urgent works and projects that could save larger sums in the long term. The fund will also be able to help cover the cost of essential improvements for the mission and ministry of a church. More information can be found here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/church-england-announces-ps9-million-help-parishes-repairs-and" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/church-england-announces-ps9-million-help-parishes-repairs-and</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 15/12/2023 14:59:36 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4025 label Biography information for Mrs Pauline Latham

1668875

registered interest
date	09/11/2023
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: Gaza and Israel
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 Anglican diocese of Jerusalem is taking to help people impacted by the conflict in Israel and Gaza.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	1107
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2023 answer text <p>I am only able to answer on behalf of the National Church Institutions of the Church of England, and cannot on behalf of the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem.</p><p>One of the significant contributions the Anglican Church makes as a global body is in the provision of healthcare. The Church of England is supporting the Diocese of Jerusalem’s request to launch a financial appeal to support the work of the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. More information is here: <a href="https://j-diocese.org/wordpress/2023/10/24/joint-gaza-appeal-letter-from-the-most-revds-hosam-naoum-and-justin-welby-the-anglican-archbishop-in-jerusalem-and-the-archbishop-of-canterbury/" target="_blank">https://j-diocese.org/wordpress/2023/10/24/joint-gaza-appeal-letter-from-the-most-revds-hosam-naoum-and-justin-welby-the-anglican-archbishop-in-jerusalem-and-the-archbishop-of-canterbury/</a></p><p>Bishops in the House of Lords have committed to continuing to raise issues with His Majesty’s Government around the treatment of the Christian community in Israel, Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.</p><p>The Archbishop of Canterbury paid a pastoral visit to the Diocese of Jerusalem on the 19<sup>th</sup> of October where he met with Christian and Jewish leaders in both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. He also met with families affected by the attacks on the 7<sup>th</sup> October. More details of the visit can be found here: <a href="https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/news-and-statements/archbishop-canterbury-arrives-jerusalem-pastoral-visit-anglican-church#:~:text=The%20Archbishop%20of%20Canterbury%20has%20begun%20a%20pastoral,Archbishop%20in%20Jerusalem%2C%20the%20Most%20Revd%20Hosam%20Naoum." target="_blank">https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/news-and-statements/archbishop-canterbury-arrives-jerusalem-pastoral-visit-anglican-church#:~:text=The%20Archbishop%20of%20Canterbury%20has%20begun%20a%20pastoral,Archbishop%20in%20Jerusalem%2C%20the%20Most%20Revd%20Hosam%20Naoum.</a></p><p>Subsequently, the Archbishop spoke in a special debate in the House of Lords, and the House of Bishops released a joint statement, which can be read here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/house-bishops-oct-30-nov-1-2023" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/house-bishops-oct-30-nov-1-2023</a></p><p>The Archbishop of Canterbury also addressed the conflict in his presidential address to the November meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England, which also included a pastoral message from the Archbishop of Jerusalem. You can read the presidential address here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/archbishops-presidential-address-synod" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/archbishops-presidential-address-synod</a> The Archbishop of Jerusalem’s speech is available here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/archbishop-jerusalem-addresses-synod-call-ceasefire-and-plea-peace" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/archbishop-jerusalem-addresses-synod-call-ceasefire-and-plea-peace</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 27/11/2023 09:25:01 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1669316

registered interest
date	09/11/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Church of St Peter and St Paul
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Church Commissioners will review the decision to demolish the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Birch, Essex.
tabling member constituency	Witham
tabling member printed	Priti Patel
uin	900092
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2023 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners have been closely involved with local and diocesan discussions on the future of St Peter &amp; St Paul, Birch. The Commissioners are responsible for the oversight and management of the relevant legislation and have ensured that the decision-making to allow demolition has followed due process</p><p><br>Whilst the Commissioners have no plans to review the decision, it is now for the Diocese of Chelmsford to take forward the demolition (or not as they may decide).</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 16/11/2023 16:22:47 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel