On 16th July 2026, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:
Archbishops’ Council
Danny Kruger MP (Reform UK, East Wiltshire): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what were the dates of any determinations made by the Church Commissioners in accordance with its duty under section 2(1) of the National Institutions Measure 1998 during the last ten years; what were the amounts of income determined on each occasion, what were the periods applicable to each determination, what were the amounts of income distributed to the Archbishops’ Council during each period in accordance with this duty and what steps were taken to ensure that these income distributions were and are being applied in accordance with the statutory restriction at section 2(3) of that Measure.
Marsha De Cordova MP: The determinations of the Church Commissioners distributions are made in General Meetings. The dates of the relevant meetings are set out in the table below.
| Year | Date |
| 2026 | 4 June |
| 2025 | 19 June and 27 November |
| 2024 | 13 June |
| 2023 | 8 June |
| 2022 | 23 June |
| 2021 | 25 November (later than usual due to Covid restrictions) |
| 2020 | None (Covid restrictions prevented a meeting) |
| 2019 | 26 June |
| 20182017 | 27 June28 June |
The allocation of funds available for distribution is made in a ‘money available resolution’ which is included in the Church Commissioners’ statutory annual report and accounts for each year. Copies of the annual report and supporting documents, which include the details of the total grant made to the Archbishops’ Council, are available in the UK Parliament Library and on the Church of England and Charity Commission websites
An analysis of the legal powers under which grants to the Archbishops’ Council were made up to the end of 2023 were provided in previous answers issued to the Hon Member for East Wiltshire, specifically written questions UIN 52344(opens in a new tab) and UIN 19811(opens in a new tab). Figures for 2024 and 2025 can be found in the annual certificates provided to the Church Commissioners by the Council which are available on the home page of the Archbishops’ Council’s website: 2024-certificate-signed.pdf(opens in a new tab) and AC(26)46_A6 2025 certificate signed.pdf
Recent money available resolutions have analysed the planned expenditure into four categories: historical, transformational time-limited, core in-perpetuity distributions and strategic on-going additional distributions. The supporting papers prepared to aid the charity trustees in their decision making provides additional detail of how the funds are planned to be distributed across a range of expenditure categories all of which are in line with one or more of the powers under which the Church Commissioners are able to distribute funds.
Each year at one of its trustee meetings, the Church Commissioners consider the annual certificate provided by the Archbishops’ Council stating how the funds provided to the Council by the Commissioners have been distributed. This now covers funds provided under section 1 of the Miscellaneous Provisions Measure 2018 as well as under section 2(3) of the National Institutions Measure 1998. In addition to this, the Commissioners receive and discuss reports on specific areas such as safeguarding and the grants made to support parish mission and ministry.
Churches: Repairs and Maintenance
Steve Darling MP (LD, Torbay): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what plans they have to ensure the preservation of historic church buildings in England.
Marsha De Cordova: The National Church Institutions recognise the importance of maintaining England’s historic church buildings across England such as the Grade I listed All Saints, Babbacombe and St John the Baptist, Paignton. Parish Churches are not only places of worship but also important community assets supporting heritage, culture and local wellbeing. Significant investment has been allocated by the Archbishops Council and Church Commissioners to support parishes, such as the Buildings for Mission programme. For this programme, the Church Commissioners invested £11million between 2023 and 2025 to provide grants to help churches undertake repairs, improve facilities and remain sustainable centres of worship and community activity
The programme funds 36 Church Buildings Support Officer posts across England, based in dioceses and partner organisations, providing practical advice on repairs, maintenance, fundraising and community engagement to help churches remain sustainable and mission-focused. The Church Commissioners run a Conservation Grants Programme, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and others, for the conservation of historic furnishings in Church of England churches. This funding helps to conserve nationally significant historic features such as stained glass, monuments and wall paintings
Other grant-based programmes complement the Buildings for Mission project with the aim to make the buildings more sustainable, efficient and easy to operate in the long term. The Net Zero Carbon Programme is one such programme, operating 2026-2028 the fund has a total of £40million to give grants to parishes alongside opportunities for match funding and larger grants for capital projects such as replacement heating schemes. The Net Zero Carbon Programme operates a Quick Wins Fund, which helps churches improve energy efficiency and reduce running costs. Where churches can no longer remain in parish use, the Church of England works closely with the Churches Conservation Trust to safeguard them for future generations
The Church Commissioners continue to work closely with other funding bodies at national and local levels, such as Historic England and local building support charities to support the ongoing repair and maintenance of church buildings and are in conversation with the Government about long-term strategic support.
The Church of England in Parliament 
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