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1666715

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Clergy: Marriage
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 there are recorded majorities in the (a) House and (b) College of Bishops to (i) allow clergy to enter into same-sex civil marriages and (ii) remove the stipulation that currently requires celibacy for clergy in same-sex relationships.
tabling member constituency	Exeter
tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
uin	203744
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>The proceedings of these meetings of the House of Bishops and College of Bishops, including details of votes, are confidential. Both the College and the House decided that further work should be done on allowing clergy to enter into same sex marriages, and on the stipulation that currently requires celibacy for clergy in same-sex relationships. It is stated in the General Synod papers (GS2328 and annexes: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-10/gs-2328-llf-nov-2023.pdf" target="_blank">gs-2328-llf-nov-2023.pdf (churchofengland.org)</a> ), that there is ‘further work on the Ministry elements of the Pastoral Guidance including on clergy in same-sex marriages’. It is hoped that this work will be done as quickly as is possible.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/10/2023 10:53:57 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1666717

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Marriage: Homosexuality
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 further letter threatening legal action was sent to the (a) House and (b) College of Bishops between the end of the meeting of the College and the House meeting in October.
tabling member constituency	Exeter
tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
uin	203745
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>Several items of correspondence were received over this period from a number of groups with different views, reflecting differing legal and theological opinions, as is widely in the public domain. Some offered a legal opinion on the routes of commendation or authorisation for the Prayers of Love and Faith, but I am not aware that any directly threatened the recipients with legal action.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/10/2023 11:01:21 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1666718

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Marriage: Homosexuality
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 draft form of Pastoral Guidance for Ministry has been (a) prepared and (b) shared with the (i) House and (ii) College of Bishops.
tabling member constituency	Exeter
tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
uin	203746
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>Drafts of the section on Ministry in the Pastoral Guidance were shared with the College of Bishops and House of Bishops and on both occasions they asked for further work to be done. It is hoped that this will be completed as soon as possible, and I recognise that some are disappointed that this is not being brought to the November Synod.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/10/2023 11:06:49 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1666720

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Marriage: Homosexuality
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 General Synod papers on Living in Love and Faith circulated on 20 October 2023 reflect the current position of the (a) House and (b)College of Bishops.
tabling member constituency	Exeter
tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
uin	203747
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>Drafts of the material presented in the November Synod papers were seen and commented on by the College of Bishops and House of Bishops at their respective meetings on 18th September and 9th October. The papers for the November meeting of General Synod were drafted and agreed by the Chairs of the LLF steering group based on this feedback and noting the diversity of opinions held by the bishops.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/10/2023 11:09:17 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1666721

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Marriage: Sexual Intercourse
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 physical acts the Church refers to when teaching that sexual intimacy outside of marriage is forbidden.
tabling member constituency	Exeter
tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
uin	203748
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>The Living in Love and Faith process has always sought to recognise that the expression of sexual intimacy between two people cannot be reduced to a small set of defined actions.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/10/2023 11:18:08 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1666751

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Religious Freedom: EU Countries and Middle East
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's position is on freedom of religion in conflict zones in (a) the Middle East and (b) Europe.
tabling member constituency	Bournemouth West
tabling member printed	Sir Conor Burns
uin	203801
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>The National Church Institutions recognise that freedom of religion or belief, like other human rights, is strongly correlated with political stability, and that repression of freedom of religion or belief, whether by societal hostility or state discrimination, can serve as major drivers of conflict and violence.</p><p>Sadly, in too many parts of the world today, whether that be in Russia or Ukraine, or in Iraq and Israel, the discrimination against or targeting of religious minorities is commonly associated with rising social tensions, intercommunal strife, violence and even mass atrocities.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 26/10/2023 10:35:49 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	3922 label Biography information for Sir Conor Burns

1666082

registered interest
date	19/10/2023
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 support the Church of England has provided to (a) churches and (b) other people in (i) Israel and (ii) Gaza since 7 October 2023.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	203517
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2023 answer text <p>Following the events of 7th October, the Archbishops of York and Canterbury called on Christians, and people of all faiths and none, to pray for the victims of the terrorist attacks by Hamas and for the innocent affected by the conflict.</p><p>The Archbishop of Canterbury visited Jerusalem, from 19<sup>th</sup> – 22<sup>nd</sup> October 2023, to stand in prayerful solidarity with the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem following damage to the Al-Ahli Hospital and to show pastoral care and support to all those affected by the war. During the visit, the Archbishop met with those who had lost loved ones as a result of the 7 October attacks. Several dioceses are supporting humanitarian appeals to support the ongoing work of the Al–Ahli Hospital.</p><p>The Archbishop of Canterbury’s most recent comments on the issue of Israel and Gaza can be found here: <a href="https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/news-and-statements" target="_blank">https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/news-and-statements</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 24/10/2023 12:16:47 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1663006

registered interest
date	13/10/2023
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: Finance
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 Answer of 19 September 2023 to Question 198286 and to recommendation 5 in Appendix 1 of Sir Robert Chote's review, whether the dioceses’ annual returns on Lowest Income Communities Funding funding for 2022 will be published.
tabling member constituency	Exeter
tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
uin	200860
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2023 answer text <p>A summary analysis of dioceses’ returns on their use of the Lowest Income Communities Funding in 2022 will be published next year in the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board’s 2023 annual report to the Archbishops’ Council, which will be made publicly available as a General Synod (Misc) paper and on the Church of England website.</p><p> </p><p>A summary analysis of dioceses’ returns on their use of the Lowest Income Communities Funding in 2021 was published in the Strategic Investment Board’s 2022 annual report to the Archbishops’ Council, which was published as a General Synod (Misc) paper and is available on the Church of England website at: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-08/final-version-2022-sib-annual-report-for-synod.pdf" target="_blank">final-version-2022-sib-annual-report-for-synod.pdf (churchofengland.org)</a> (page 14 refers to the relevant information).</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 25/10/2023 14:23:43 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1663443

registered interest
date	13/10/2023
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: Finance
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 Commissioners are taking to ensure the Lowest Income Communities Funding meets the objective of assisting clergy and parishes in hardest to reach communities.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	201297
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2023 answer text <p>The Independent Review of Lowest Income Communities Funding and Strategic Development Funding led by Sir Robert Chote was published in March 2022 and can be read here: <em><a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/irls-final-report-2.pdf%20" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/irls-final-report-2.pdf </a></em></p><p>In respect of meeting the objective of assisting clergy and parishes in hardest to reach communities the Review recommended:</p><ul><li>Recommendation 2 - &quot;Refocusing annual returns … towards more strategic reporting&quot;.</li><li>Recommendation 3 - asked staff to &quot;identify and promote best practice … perhaps convening a learning symposium&quot;.</li><li>Recommendation 5 – asked staff to &quot;communicate more clearly the extent to which LInC funding is sustaining ministry&quot;.</li></ul><p>The action taken so far by the Archbishops' Council's Vision and Strategy team in response to those recommendations has been to:</p><ul><li>Raise the profile of LInC funding within ongoing strategic conversations between its staff and diocesan teams, as part of dioceses' strategic development processes, with the aim of improving its effectiveness.</li><li>Ask dioceses to give information about the intended outcomes from their planned use of LInC funding, together with how they will be measured, as part of their annual return on LInC funding for 2022.</li><li>Plan a learning event to bring together diocesan representatives to share and develop their approaches on the use of LInC funding, aiming to improve the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of LInC funding.</li></ul><p>From the start of 2023, the new Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board (SMMIB), a committee of the Archbishops' Council, has replaced the previous Strategic Investment Board and Strategic Ministry Board. It distributes and monitors funds made available by the Church Commissioners and Archbishops' Council via LInC, SDF, and other similar funds.</p><p>More information about the role the SMMIB plays 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 24/10/2023 12:18:10 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1659195

registered interest
date	07/09/2023
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: Finance
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 Review of Lowest Income Communities and Strategic Development Funding, published in March 2022, what steps the Church Commissioners have taken to implement new governance arrangements to ensure that Lowest Incomes Communities Funding is distributed to dioceses by the Archbishops’ Council is accounted for (a) effectively and (b) transparently.
tabling member constituency	Exeter
tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
uin	198286
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>The Independent Review of Lowest Income Communities Funding and Strategic Development Funding led by Sir Robert Chote was published in March 2022 and can be read here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/irls-final-report-2.pdf" target="_blank"><strong><em>https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/irls-final-report-2.pdf</em></strong></a></p><p>In respect of improving governance arrangements of Lowest Income Communities Funding (LInC) the Review recommended:</p><ul><li>Recommendation 2 - &quot;Refocusing annual returns … towards more strategic reporting&quot;.</li><li>Recommendation 3 - asked staff to &quot;identify and promote best practice … perhaps convening a learning symposium&quot;.</li><li>Recommendation 5 – asked staff to &quot;communicate more clearly the extent to which LInC funding is sustaining ministry&quot;.</li></ul><p>The action taken so far by the Archbishops' Council's Vision and Strategy team in response to those recommendations has been to:</p><ul><li>Raise the profile of LInC funding within ongoing strategic conversations between its staff and diocesan teams, as part of dioceses' strategic development processes, with the aim of improving its effectiveness.</li><li>Ask dioceses to give information about the intended outcomes from their planned use of LInC funding, together with how they will be measured, as part of their annual return on LInC funding for 2022.</li><li>Plan a learning event to bring together diocesan representatives to share and develop their approaches on the use of LInC funding, aiming to improve the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of LInC funding.</li></ul><p>The Independent Review also made further suggestions in Recommendation 1: &quot;encouraging dioceses to use LInC funding more for clergy transitions&quot; and in Recommendation 4: &quot;maintaining current levels of LInC funding&quot;. While not related directly to governance, these may also feature in the learning event and in ongoing conversations with dioceses.</p><p>From the start of 2023, the new Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board (SMMIB), a committee of the Archbishops' Council, has replaced the previous Strategic Investment Board and Strategic Ministry Board. It distributes and monitors funds made available by the Church Commissioners and Archbishops' Council via LInC, SDF, and other similar funds.</p><p>The Boards of the Archbishops’ Council and the Church Commissioners are regularly updated by the SMMIB about funding decisions and projects supported by these funds. Members of the Archbishops’ Council and Church Commissioners Boards are part of the SMMIB and help monitor funding decisions and spending. The SMMIB will also provide an annual report to the General Synod.</p><p>More information about the role the SMMIB plays 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 19/09/2023 16:02:06 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw