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1697566

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Church Schools: Hendon
	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 he has made an assessment of the contribution of church schools in Hendon constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	19599
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>Though the National Church Institutions are not responsible for the operation of individual schools, the Diocese of London has volunteered the following information, which I hope is useful.</p><p>There are two Church of England schools in the Hendon Constituency.</p><p>St Mary’s and St John’s educates more than 1,600 pupils. One quarter are on free school meals, which is higher than the Local Authority average. Pupils are making above-average progress at an 8-level attainment of 0.39 compared with the national average of -0.03.</p><p>St Paul’s School Mill Hill educates 210 pupils. One fifth of pupils are in receipt of Free School Meals, in line with the Local Authority average. Pupils attainment is above-average; 84% attained the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths last summer compared to the national average of 60%.</p><p>I commend the teachers and leadership teams in both schools for these achievements.</p><p>The Church of England educates over one million children in its 4,700 schools across England. Church Schools are committed to the flourishing of children and deliver a rounded education that remains in high demand with parents. They serve all those in the community, whatever their faith or belief.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/04/2024 13:10:53 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1697571

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	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: Tree Planting
	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 plans to take steps to plant trees on diocese lands.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	19600
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>Diocesan land is managed by individual dioceses at a local level and, as such, the Church Commissioners are unable to plant trees on diocesan property. However, the Church Commissioners work with diocesan teams and other church bodies to encourage the responsible use of land, reducing carbon emissions and increasing biodiversity where appropriate, including incorporating environmental improvement into food production.</p><p>The Church Commissioners’ rural estates team has assisted with the creation of a guidance note for diocesan officers on ‘managing land for climate and nature’, attended net zero meetings, and engaged with local diocesan environmental officers. Staff from the Rural Estates team have also met with the Rural Bishops Group to illustrate their work managing the rural estates and share experiences that apply to dioceses. They will continue to share details of tree-planting undertaken by the Commissioners with our diocesan partners and are keen to work together on further improving and implementing good practice.</p><p>In 2023, the Church Commissioners planted over 1.5million trees on their Forestry and Farmland holdings, 700,000 of which were in the UK.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 25/04/2024 12:34:50 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1697590

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	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: Carbon Emissions
	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 help achieve net zero.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	19601
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners are committed to reducing the carbon intensity of their portfolio by 2025 and, as a member of the Asset Owners Alliance, reaching ‘Net Zero’ in the investment portfolio by 2050.</p><p>The General Synod has set a target for the Church of England to become Net Zero by 2030. The National Church Institutions are supporting every diocese with a grant to grow capacity and employ staff to manage the work of achieving this net zero ambition. The Church Commissioners have committed funding of £30m for 2023-25 and £190m total for a 9-year programme from 2023-31. <br> <br>Stage one will explore the best ways to decarbonise the diverse range of buildings and navigate planning and governance structures. The project will assess cathedrals and clergy housing, with demonstration churches that can act as showpieces of what is possible. There will be a special grant available from dioceses to enable churches to fund improvements to their energy efficiency.</p><p>A second workstream supports schools in accessing public sector decarbonisation funds, and another stream of grants will match local fundraising in churches for net-zero carbon projects through the Buildings for Mission scheme</p><p>This will provide a clear picture of the kinds of projects that are effective in reducing emissions, ready for a scaled-up investment in the second 3-year period</p><p>Recent success stories include York Minster and the Chapel at Kings College, Cambridge, which have joined many other major churches and cathedrals across the country in installing new solar panels and renewable technologies, reducing their running costs and making them more sustainable buildings.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/04/2024 13:18:14 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1697591

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Church of England: Land Use
	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 a recent assessment has been made of the environmental improvements being advanced through the church's holding of agricultural land.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	19602
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners undertake rolling assessments of environmental improvements being made to the farmland portfolio by tenants, which is used to update the baseline study undertaken five years ago. Data has so far been provided on over 25,000 acres of Commissioners’ land holdings and contains details of environmental changes, such as transitioning to regenerative agricultural practices. The Commissioners are pleased to announce a partnership with the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), which will further develop this work.</p><p>The Church Commissioners’ rural estates team continues to engage with our new and existing agricultural tenants through regular individual farm visits, the sharing of ground-sourced data, including carbon audits, and the gathering of information from third parties. On recent assessment revealed that on a single Commissioners’ farm in Kent, over 45 species of bird were recorded during a single visit in December 2023.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 12/04/2024 13:24:49 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1697593

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	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: Slavery
	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 plans to publicly acknowledge historic links with the chattel slave trade.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	19604
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>The Archbishop of Canterbury has been unequivocal on the theology of this issue, noting on his visit to Cape Coast Castle in Ghana in February 2023:</p><p>“It was a reminder that the abomination of African chattel enslavement was blasphemy: those who imprisoned men and women in those dungeons saw them as less than human. It is to the Church of England’s eternal shame that it did not always follow Christ’s teaching to give life. It is a stain on the wider church that some Christians did not see their brothers and sisters as created in the image of God, but as objects to be exploited.”</p><p>The Church Commissioners has been investigating its historic links to the chattel slave trade since 2019 and published a full, transparent report of the findings in January 2023. More information about the whole project is available here:<br> <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/about/leadership-and-governance/national-church-institutions/church-commissioners-england/who-we-1" target="_blank">Church Commissioners Links to Historic Transatlantic Slavery | The Church of England</a></p><p>The Church Commissioners seek, through the research it has done and its response, to acknowledge the truth of the past, apologise for the wrongs that this research has highlighted, and to address these wrongs through repentance, remembrance, reconciliation, and renewal. The Church Commissioners believe that by addressing its past transparently, particularly this part of our past, the Church and its teachings will be more relevant to more people. The response is an important missional activity that will support the work and ministry of the Church of England in England.</p><p>The Church Commissioners are committed to setting up an Impact Investment Fund as part of its response to invest in a better and fairer future for all, particularly for communities affected by historic enslavement. It is hoped this fund will grow over time, reinvesting returns to enable it to have a positive and lasting legacy that will exist in perpetuity and with the potential for other institutions to participate, further enabling growth in the size and impact of the fund. This Fund will be seeded with a £100 million commitment from the Church Commissioners.</p><p>Despite recent press speculation, the Church Commissioners has no plans to increase its contribution to the Fund over the planned funding period. It is hoped that growth in the impact fund will also enable grant funding for projects focused on improving opportunities for communities impacted by historic African chattel enslavement.</p><p>The Church Commissioners have also committed to undertake further research, including into the Church Commissioners' history, supporting dioceses and parishes to research and address their historic links with African chattel enslavement, and sharing best practices with other organisations researching their enslavement legacies.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 25/04/2024 12:37:47 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1689894

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Religious Buildings: Entertainments
	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 issued guidance on the use of places of worship for silent discos.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	14537
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2024 answer text <p>No guidance has been issued by the National Church Institutions on the use of places of worship for silent discos.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/02/2024 21:40:16 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1688244

	registered interest
	date	07/02/2024
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Christianity: Asylum
	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 provides guidance on helping to determine that asylum seekers are genuine converts to Christianity.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	13587
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2024 answer text <p>The document “Supporting Asylum Seekers – Guidance for Church of England Clergy”, which has been publicly available on the Church of England website for around seven years, states that clergy should assess the faith of those claiming conversion to Christianity and should rely on evidence to do so. The guidance also refers to the need for discernment – to be “wise as serpents” – in recognising mixed motives and the potential for gaming the system.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/02/2024 21:44:09 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

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

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