On 27th March 2019 Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner, answered a written question from Hugh Gaffney MP on land in the Southwark diocese:
Hugh Gaffney (Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church of England has a financial interest in (a) Tidemill Green and (b) the site of Old Tidemill School in Deptford. Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Answer: land”
On 28th March 2019 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered questions from MPs on digital connectivity, the 25th anniversary of the ordination of women, and Easter church attendance.
Church Commissioners
The right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked—
Church Land and Buildings: Digital Connectivity
Mrs Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what progress has been made on implementing the joint accord between the Government and the Church of England on the use of Church land and buildings to support digital connectivity. [910102]
Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions: digital connectivity, ordination of women, Easter”
On 12th March the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Frank Field MP about Bishop George Bell:
Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what authority set down in the statutes of the Commissioners enabled the payment of £29,800 to meet damages and costs relating to the case of Bishop George Bell; and what steps the Commissioners took to scrutinise that settlement before they made over those funds. Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Answer: Bishop George Bell”
On 11th March the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Frank Field MP about Christ Church College:
Frank Field (Birkenhead)[N]: To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, when she expects the internal investigation into complaints against the Dean of Christ Church college Oxford to conclude. Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Answer: Christ Church Oxford”
On 21st February 2019 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered three written questions from MPs, on Christian persecution overseas, homelessness, and married couples’ tax allowances.
Jim Shannon(Strangford): To ask the Right Honourable Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what humanitarian support the Church of England provides to people overseas that are persecuted for their Christian beliefs. Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions – Christian persecution overseas, homelessness, married couples’ tax allowance”
On 17th January 2019 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered questions from MPs on historic church buildings, Christian persecution overseas, and the promotion of marriage. A full transcript follows:
Church Commissioners
The right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked—
Protection of Historic Church Buildings
Alex Burghart (Brentwood and Ongar) (Con): What steps the Church of England is taking to ensure that historic church buildings are protected. [908606]
The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Dame Caroline Spelman): The Church of England continues to suffer thefts of metal and other items of historical and architectural interest from its churches. The Archbishop’s Council conducted an inquiry into this, and the trend appears to be gradually moving from east to west and from south to north. I encourage my hon. Friend to look at the Church of England [Churchcare] website for ways of protecting his churches more successfully. Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions: historic buildings, Christian persecution overseas, promoting marriage”
Adam Holloway (Gravesham): To ask the Right Honourable Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what duty does (a) the Church of England and (b) cathedrals and abbeys have to cathedral choristers with long-term medical conditions under disability discrimination legislation; and if she will make a statement. (205855)
Continue reading “Church Commissioner written answer – cathedrals and disability”
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Answer – Cathedral Choirs”
On 13th December 2018 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question about Christians Against Poverty:
Mr Gregory Campbell(East Londonderry): To ask the Right Honourable Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of contributions to churches helping run Christians Against Poverty Centres in the 2018-19 financial year. Continue reading “Church Commssioners Written Answer: Christians Against Poverty”
On the 11th December 2018 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP introduced four Church of England Measures to the House of Commons Delegated Legislation Committee. The Committee approved the Measures following discussion.
Third Delegated Legislation Committee
[Stewart Hosie in the Chair]
Ecumenical Relations Measure, Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure, Church Property Measure and Church of England Pensions Measure
The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Dame Caroline Spelman): I beg to move,
That the Committee has considered the Ecumenical Relations Measure (HC 1687).
The Chair: With this it will be convenient to consider the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure (HC 1688), Church Property Measure (HC 1689) and Church of England Pensions Measure (HC 1690).
Dame Caroline Spelman: It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hosie. To some colleagues, this may be an unusual format for the Committee. I would like to explain that the Measures that we are considering have been through the Ecclesiastical Committee, which is composed of Members from both Houses, is cross-party and is chaired by Lady Butler-Sloss. On 24 October, we went through all these Measures in considerable detail, and I have the report of that careful scrutiny, so I hope that today we may be able to deal with the Measures expeditiously.
The Church of England in Parliament 
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