Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs on 31st January 2023:
Ben Bradshaw MP (Lab): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what the cost of legal support provided by (a) dioceses and (b) the Church Commissioners to incumbents and PCCs of parishes affected by pastoral reorganisation making a representation at an oral hearing of the Mission, Pastoral and Church Property Committee was in each of the last five years.
Andrew Selous MP (Con): Dioceses are required to retain the services of a Diocesan Registrar who will provide free advice to incumbents and PCCs on Mission and Pastoral Measure processes as part of their contract with the diocese. Information is not held centrally about the financial cost or take up of that advice. The Church Commissioners have not provided legal support to incumbents or PCCs attending hearings of the Mission, Pastoral and Church Property Committee over the last 5 years. The Church Commissioners are not able to provide legal advice to PCCs, incumbents or Diocesan Boards of Finance.
Ben Bradshaw MP: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what the cost of legal support to the Mission, Pastoral and Church Property Committee for their consideration of pastoral reorganisation schemes was in each of the last five years.
Andrew Selous MP: The National Church institutions (NCIs), of which the Church Commissioners are one of the institutional bodies, are supported by the central legal office of the NCIs, which is available to all departments, boards and committees to give advice when it is needed. This is an in-house service. No time sheets are kept of how many hours are spent on specific projects or for particular NCI departments and so it is not possible to provide the information requested.
Mark Pritchard MP (Con): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what support the Church Commissioners are giving to churches in the dioceses of Hereford and Lichfield to help protect the written and oral history and heritage of churches.
Andrew Selous MP: There are no specific written or oral history heritage projects supported by the Church Commissioners in the dioceses of Hereford and Lichfield. However the Cathedral and Church Buildings Division of the Archbishops’ Council is in regular contact with parishes across the region to support them in the care of their buildings and local community heritage assets. More general advice is available from the ChurchCare website: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare(opens in a new tab) which gives information about grants, building management and best practice.
Across England the Church of England manages 12,500 listed buildings out of a total of 16,000 churches. Many of these are considered to be nationally important buildings and are maintained by the generosity and goodwill of local volunteers and donors.
The Church Commissioners are providing £11million in funding for 2023-25 to support a new “Buildings for Mission” programme to provide support, through dioceses, to local parishes with the challenges they face in maintaining their church buildings
The Church is grateful to the Government for its support for cathedrals and major churches during the pandemic when the Culture Recovery Fund made over £60.6m available to 582 parishes and cathedrals. The Church advocates for the continuation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, worth up to £42m a year, until a suitable alternative can be found. The National Church Institutions are working closely with Government, heritage partners and philanthropic funders, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund in response to its recent strategic review and has continuing dialogue with Government about the financial needs involved in maintanining such important places of worship.
The Church awaits the response of the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to the recommendations made by the Government’s independent review led by Bernard Taylor into the sustainability of Church buildings, which was published in 2017: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/english-churches-and-cathedrals-sustainability-review
Ben Bradshaw MP: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, in the context of the Church of England’s Living in Love and Faith process and the forthcoming General Synod, whether the Commissioners have made assessment of the potential impact of the Church of England’s exemptions from the Equality Act 2010 on LGBT+ people.
Andrew Selous MP: The National Church Institutions have made no such assessment. The exceptions in the Equality Act are for all religious organisations rather than for the Church of England specifically. It is unlikely that any of the exceptions will be engaged by Living in Love and Faith and therefore no assessment has been carried out.
Dan Carden MP (Lab): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what progress has been made on the proposals that the bishops have put to General Synod on the outcomes of the Living in Love and Faith process for debate next month; and if he will make a statement.
Andrew Selous MP: I refer the Hon Member to the answers I gave in the House in response to an urgent question, on Tuesday 24th January 2023, Hansard column 878: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-01-24/debates/46921D78-FB26-44A3-81F1-013530CC7C6D/EqualMarriageChurchOfEngland
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP (Lab): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, in the context of the Church of England’s Living in Love and Faith process and the forthcoming General Synod, whether the Commissioners have made assessment of the potential impact of the Church of England’s exemptions from the Equality Act 2010 on LGBT+ people.
Andrew Selous MP: The National Church Institutions have made no such assessment. The exceptions in the Equality Act are for all religious organisations rather than for the Church of England specifically. It is unlikely that any of the exceptions will be engaged by Living in Love and Faith and therefore no assessment has been carried out.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, with reference to the Living in Love and Faith consultation, what discussions he has had with senior Church leaders on the Bishops’ proposal to be put to General Synod on the outcomes of that consultation.
Andrew Selous MP: I have held discussions with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London as part of my briefing on the House of Bishops’ response. As Second Church Estates Commissioner it is my intention to attend the General Synod debate on Living in Love and Faith, and to convey to the Synod the views that have been presented to me in Parliament.
Jim Shannon MP (DUP): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church is taking steps to promote freedom of religion and belief in (a) Hong Kong and (b) globally.
Andrew Selous MP: Freedom of Religion and Belief was discussed at the 2022 Lambeth Conference of global Anglican bishops, where many first-hand accounts of the context in different countries were shared.
Bishops and officials of the National Church Institutions are working closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative, to equip civil servants, Government ministers, bishops and churches to respond effectively as possible to violations of freedom of religion, and in follow up to the Bishop of Truro’s report.
Freedom of religion was one of the founding principles of Hong Kong, which has led to a high diversity of faith communities and of those with no faith. The Church of England remains concerned about the treatment of these communities and is monitoring the situation closely.
The Church remains involved in providing welcome and support to those arriving here from Hong Kong under the British National Overseas passport scheme. One local example from Leeds diocese can be seen here: https://www.leeds.anglican.org/who-we-are/news/hong-kong-arrivals-welcomed-and-baptised-by-leeds-church.php
Jim Shannon MP: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what discussions he has had with relevant funding bodies on funding for smaller churches, including those in rural villages.
Andrew Selous MP: Officials from the National Church Institutions are seeking a meeting with the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to discuss the 2017 independent Taylor report on the sustainability of Church Buildings. Despite being commissioned by the Government, the Government has yet to respond.
The Church Commissioners are providing £11million in funding for 2023-25 to support a new “Buildings for Mission” programme to provide support, through dioceses, to local parishes with the challenges they face in maintaining their church buildings.
National grant funding is no longer ring-fenced for religious buildings despite the largest number of listed buildings in the country being from that classification. While grant funding is also available from national and local charities, this can only go so far. The Church of England is grateful to the great many congregations and local philanthropists who continue, despite current financial difficulties, to support the work of the Church.
Recent reports from the National Churches Trust have shown that every £1 invested in a church building returns £16 to the community in other services and facilities. If the Church can spend less time on repairing buildings, an even greater focus could be given to supporting the communities it serves. The evidence for this can be found in the 2021 House of Good report, available at: House of Good 2021
Jim Shannon MP: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will hold discussions with senior church leaders on encouraging church leaders to hold celebrations to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III.
Andrew Selous MP: Churches across the country will be organising events to celebrate the coronation. Many will mark the occasion by ringing a special peal of bells and encouraging new ringers to help. The Central Council of Bell Ringers is able to provide advice and support to towers of ringers who want to join in and ‘Ring for the King’: Ring for the King – Ringing for the King’s Coronation(opens in a new tab)
The Royal School of Church Music are also encouraging choirs to join their ‘Sing for the King’ project. More information is available for directors of music, organists and clergy from the RSCM here: Sing for the King! | RSCM(opens in a new tab)
Buckingham Palace has announced a series of events and festivities over several days, in which churches and community groups will take part. Many parishes are likely to be hosting a service of thanksgiving, alongside participating in the ‘Big Help Out’, and other local celebrations. Guidance and resources will be sent to all dioceses and parishes in the coming weeks.
The Church of England in Parliament 
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