Church Commissioners Written Questions: Clergy (Freedom of Expression), Clergy (Gender), Abortion Decriminalisation, Church Attendance, Slavery (Compensation)

On 24th November 2025, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:

Clergy: Freedom of Expression

Andrew Rosindell MP (Con, Romford): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what guidance the Church of England provides to clergy on the principle of freedom of speech.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Clergy (Freedom of Expression), Clergy (Gender), Abortion Decriminalisation, Church Attendance, Slavery (Compensation)”

Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church Attendance

On 9th May 2025, Marsha De Cordova MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:

Neil O’Brien MP (Con, Harborough, Oadby, and Wigston): To ask the Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what the weekly attendance was for (a) children, (b) adults and (c) all ages for (i) weekly, (ii) Sunday and (iii) school services in each year since 2003.

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church Schools, Carbon Emissions, Land Use, Ceremonies, and Service Attendance

On 12th April 2024, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:

Church Schools: Hendon

Dr Matthew Offord MP (Con, Hendon): 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.

Andrew Selous MP (Con, South West Bedfordshire): 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.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church Schools, Carbon Emissions, Land Use, Ceremonies, and Service Attendance”

Church Commissioner Questions: Church Attendance, Sustainable Maintenance, Historic Involvement with Slavery, Lichfield Cathedral, and Blessings for Same-sex Couples

On 26th January 2023, MPs put questions in the House of Commons to the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP:

Parish Churches: Family Attendance

Kevin Foster MP (Torbay, Con), asked:

  1. What recent steps the Church of England has taken to encourage families to attend events at parish churches.

Andrew Selous MP: There are Church of England churches that provide breakfast and lunch clubs, as well as youth, children’s and toddler activities, including messy church and much more besides. A vibrant children’s and youth ministry is often a key component of church growth.

Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions: Church Attendance, Sustainable Maintenance, Historic Involvement with Slavery, Lichfield Cathedral, and Blessings for Same-sex Couples”

Church Commissioners’ Written Answer: Church Service Attendance

On 19th May 2020 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, answered a written question on church service attendance, from Alexander Stafford MP.

Alexander Stafford (Rother Valley): 47487 To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what is the average church attendance each week in (a) Rother Valley Constituency, (b) Yorkshire, and (c) England in each year of the last five years.

rsz_1andrew_profile_2Andrew Selous: The most recent survey of church attendance was published in 2018, and the table below contains figures aggregated from 2014-18 using average weekly attendance figures at all age services. These figures are collected each year during four weeks in October.

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Church Commissioner Answers: evangelical congregations, Lambeth Conference, lay membership, church attendance, pastoral support for pregnant women

On 8th and 9th April 2019 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered five written questions from Sir John Hayes MP on a diverse range of issues: evangelical congregations, the 2020 Lambeth Conference, lay membership, pastoral support for women with unplanned pregnancies, and increasing church attendance.

Sir John Hayes (South Holland and The Deepings): (241392) To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to ensure the evangelical makeup of its congregations is reflected in the custom and practices of the Church’s leadership. Continue reading “Church Commissioner Answers: evangelical congregations, Lambeth Conference, lay membership, church attendance, pastoral support for pregnant women”

Church Commissioner Questions: ordinations, church schools, modern slavery, metal theft, inter-faith relations, London churches

On 12th July 2018 Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, answered questions from MPs on ordination numbers, church schools, modern slavery, metal theft, inter-faith relations and growth of the church in London. A full transcript is below: Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions: ordinations, church schools, modern slavery, metal theft, inter-faith relations, London churches”

MPs Questions to Sir Tony Baldry MP

In Church Commissioners Question TIme on Thursday 16th May 2013, Sir Tony Baldry MP asnwered questions on church bells, the same sex marriage bill, the Church of England, church attendance, religious freedom, and the English Baccalaureate.

14.01 CCQ Baldry

Church Bells

Andrew Stephenson (Pendle) (Con): What support the Church Commissioners provide to refurbish church bells

The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Sir Tony Baldry): Church bells are an important part of our national character and heritage, and the Church of England has some limited grant aid available for work to bells and bell frames that are of historic interest. This is distributed by the Church Buildings Council, which also provides advice to help churches approach other funders, including the Heritage Lottery Fund. Continue reading “MPs Questions to Sir Tony Baldry MP”