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1628856

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2023
	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: Leicestershire
	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 Minster Communities are proposed in Leicestershire; and how many parishes are proposed in each.
	tabling member constituency	South Leicestershire
	tabling member printed	Alberto Costa
	uin	185806
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2023 answer text <p>Management of a diocese and the ordering of parishes is a matter for the diocesan bishop and their senior staff, not the National Church Institutions (NCIs). <br> <br>The NCIs are aware that in October 2021, 72% of members of the Leicester Diocesan Synod voted in favour of the Minster Community model. The Church Commissioners, as the appeal body for any formal parish reorganisation, are unable to comment further as it may prejudice future decisions of the Mission, Pastoral, and Church Property Committee should Leicester Diocese decide to bring forward formal parish reorganisation proposals.</p><p>Enquiries about the Minster Communities plan should be directed to the offices of the Bishop of Leicester, the Archdeacon of Leicester or the Archdeacon of Loughborough. Contact details can be found on the diocesan website here: <a href="https://www.leicester.anglican.org/whos-who" target="_blank">https://www.leicester.anglican.org/whos-who</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 08/06/2023 20:36:25 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4439 label Biography information for Alberto Costa

1628857

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2023
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Clergy: Leicestershire
	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 ordained stipendiary priests are proposed to serve each Minster Community in Leicestershire; how frequent the Commissioners expect the provision for Holy Communion in each church to be; and how many such priests have been identified as ready to (a) serve in Minster Communities and (b) provide Holy Communion, not by extension.
	tabling member constituency	South Leicestershire
	tabling member printed	Alberto Costa
	uin	185807
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2023 answer text <p>Management of a diocese and ordering of parishes is not a matter for the National Church Institutions (NCIs), but for the diocesan bishop and their senior staff in discussion with the diocesan mission and pastoral committees and liaison with parishes. The NCIs are aware that in October 2021, 72% of the Leicester Diocesan Synod members voted in favour of the Minster Community model. <br> <br> Enquiries about the Minster Communities plan should be directed to the offices of the Bishop of Leicester, the Archdeacon of Leicester or the Archdeacon of Loughborough. Contact details can be found on the diocesan website here: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.leicester.anglican.org%2Fwhos-who&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard.chapman%40churchofengland.org%7Cc49a42f8e5a44131c99c08db67e4b657%7C95e2463b3ab047b49ac1587c77ee84f0%7C0%7C0%7C638218004242075662%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=lVEoxKFFCSURzq0Xoran5CbcV8WEYMzuLneLzhcszuY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.leicester.anglican.org/whos-who</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 08/06/2023 20:38:24 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4439 label Biography information for Alberto Costa

1628858

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2023
	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, how many ordained priests are available to perform the Occasional Offices in Leicestershire parish churches.
	tabling member constituency	South Leicestershire
	tabling member printed	Alberto Costa
	uin	185808
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2023 answer text <p>From the records held by the National Church institutions and the diocese, at the present time the Diocese of Leicester has the following ordained clergy and lay ministers:</p><ul><li>134 clergy</li><li>43 curates</li><li>117 lay ministers (including Readers, Evangelists, Pastoral Assistants, etc.)</li><li>122 Permission to Officiate (often retired clergy)</li></ul><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 08/06/2023 20:39:54 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4439 label Biography information for Alberto Costa

1628859

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2023
	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, whether the Commissioners are taking steps to help ensure that ordained priests are not expected to officiate in parish churches of a different tradition in a way which (a) they and (b) the parishioners are not comfortable with.
	tabling member constituency	South Leicestershire
	tabling member printed	Alberto Costa
	uin	185809
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2023 answer text <p>Management of a diocese and the ordering of parishes is a matter for the diocesan bishop and their senior staff, not the National Church Institutions.</p><p>Clergy, retired clergy and lay ministers regularly offer cover across dioceses during vacancies, an incumbent’s illness, or for other pastoral reasons. The diocesan bishop and local archdeacon are responsible for overseeing this process.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 08/06/2023 20:41:09 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4439 label Biography information for Alberto Costa

1628861

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2023
	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 information the Commissioners hold on whether the Minster Community model reduces (a) church attendance and (b) parish giving.
	tabling member constituency	South Leicestershire
	tabling member printed	Alberto Costa
	uin	185810
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2023 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners have not received any formal parish reorganisation proposals or impact assessments relating to the Minster Communities model. Enquiries about the Minster Communities model should be directed to the offices of the Bishop of Leicester, the Archdeacon of Leicester or the Archdeacon of Loughborough. Contact details can be found on the diocesan website here: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.leicester.anglican.org%2Fwhos-who&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard.chapman%40churchofengland.org%7Cc49a42f8e5a44131c99c08db67e4b657%7C95e2463b3ab047b49ac1587c77ee84f0%7C0%7C0%7C638218004242075662%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=lVEoxKFFCSURzq0Xoran5CbcV8WEYMzuLneLzhcszuY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.leicester.anglican.org/whos-who</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 08/06/2023 20:42:43 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4439 label Biography information for Alberto Costa

1628865

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2023
	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, which Church of England legislation, Measures and Canons provide a description of the functions and responsibilities of Oversight Ministers and Co-Area Deans; and what the functions are of the Launde Minster Community Oversight Minister, Revd Jonathan Dowman, commissioned on 30 April 2023 by the Bishop of Leicester.
	tabling member constituency	South Leicestershire
	tabling member printed	Alberto Costa
	uin	185812
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2023 answer text <p>Clergy of the Church of England who are officeholders generally hold their roles and responsibilities according to their current appointment and Statements of Particulars, with the duties of bishops, priests and deacons being set out in the Ordinal and the Canons. The responsibilities of area deans more particularly include those set out in legislation, but their specific roles are defined at the local level. Some diocesan roles, such as Co-Area Dean or Oversight Ministers, are not defined in legislation but may refer to a particular role in a diocese.</p><p> </p><p>The engagement of diocesan clergy and staff is not a matter for the National Church Institutions. It would be best to contact the offices of the Bishop of Leicester, the Archdeacon of Leicester or the Archdeacon of Loughborough, who will be able to give more details about what is envisaged for these roles. Contact details can be found on the diocesan website here: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.leicester.anglican.org%2Fwhos-who&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard.chapman%40churchofengland.org%7Cc49a42f8e5a44131c99c08db67e4b657%7C95e2463b3ab047b49ac1587c77ee84f0%7C0%7C0%7C638218004242075662%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=lVEoxKFFCSURzq0Xoran5CbcV8WEYMzuLneLzhcszuY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.leicester.anglican.org/whos-who</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 08/06/2023 20:45:02 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4439 label Biography information for Alberto Costa

1644168

	registered interest
	date	13/06/2023
	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: Equal Pay
	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 close the gender pay gap.
	tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
	tabling member printed	Cat Smith
	uin	189331
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2023 answer text <p>For clergy across the Church of England, as officeholders they are paid a stipend rather than a salary. All bishops, male and female, receive the same stipend. All other clergy stipends are based on a national benchmark which is set by post, irrespective of the gender of the postholder.</p><p>The Church of England last measured its clergy gender pay gap on 1<sup>st</sup> April 2022. Across the 42 dioceses of the Church, the difference in average stipend for male and female full-time stipendiary clergy was 0.3% in favour of men (with the mean stipend for male clergy being £28,288 and for female clergy £28,205). The gap has been calculated for full-time stipendiary clergy alone. As clergy do not work standard hours there is a difficultly in calculating an hourly rate for clergy, which is the standard method for calculating gender pay gaps. There are also difficulties in standardising part-time clergy in terms of full time equivalents, as we do not have complete information about the proportion of a full-time post. This is unlikely to affect the overall figure significantly as only 8% of stipendiary clergy were part-time (less than 1 full-time equivalent) and women made up only a small majority of part-time stipendiary clergy (54% compared with 46% men).</p><p>The most recent Gender Pay Report from the National Church Institutions (NCIs) can be found here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/national-church-institutions-2022-gender-pay-report-april-2023_0.pdf" target="_blank">national-church-institutions-2022-gender-pay-report-april-2023_0.pdf (churchofengland.org)</a>. 57% of the staff of the National Church Institutions (NCIs) are women. Since 2021 the representation of women has increased by 2% in the upper quartile, but the majority of women continue to be working in roles in the lower and mid-lower quartile. As the NCIs approached their pay negotiations in late 2022 and they considered the cost-of-living crisis effects on employees and affordability for the NCI charities, a focus was maintained on NCI values and on gender and ethnicity pay gaps.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 05/07/2023 13:57:33 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

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

1639754

	registered interest
	date	23/05/2023
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Clergy: Ordination and Retirement
	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 Commissioners are taking steps to reduce average lengths of time between (a) the retirement and enthronement of bishops in dioceses and (b) the retirement and consecration of priests in parishes.
	tabling member constituency	Southport
	tabling member printed	Damien Moore
	uin	186497
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2023 answer text <p>Diocesan bishops are appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Prime Minister following a recruitment process overseen by the Crown Nominations Commission. Every effort is made to appoint suitable candidates swiftly, however an interregnum is often necessary to allow the Vacancy in See Committee to consult on and produce an up to date statement of needs. Suffragan bishop appointments are overseen by the diocesan bishop, who is required to present a role description to the Dioceses Commission so that an assessment can be made of mission and ministry needs, capacity and resources in the diocese. Parish priest appointments are a matter for diocesan bishops.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 08/06/2023 20:28:53 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4669 label Biography information for Damien Moore

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