Tag: church buildings

Church Commissioners written answer: Churches in Blackburn

Caroline SpelmanOn 5th September 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Mark Hendrick MP about churches in the Diocese of Blackburn and the English Churches and Cathedrals Sustainability Review.

Mr Mark Hendrick (Preston): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, which churches and personnel in Preston and the rest of the Diocese of Blackburn have participated in the English Churches and Cathedrals Sustainability Review. Continue reading “Church Commissioners written answer: Churches in Blackburn”

Church Commissioners: Impact of Landfill Communities Fund

Church CommissionersOn the 10th March the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Nic Dakin MP about the impact of changes to the Landfill Communities Fund on church buildings.
 Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the proposed changes to the Landfill Communities Fund on the restoration and repair of listed church properties and church buildings.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners: Impact of Landfill Communities Fund”

Caroline Spelman praises work of Churches Conservation Trust

On the 29 February 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Mrs Caroline Spelman, briefly contributed to a debate on the Funding Order for the Churches Conservation Trust.

Caroline SpelmanMrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden) (Con): Early in his remarks my right hon. Friend the Minister mentioned the fact that a few of the churches are isolated, with no natural community around them. Does he agree that the Churches Conservation Trust provides a wider benefit to the local rural community by creating jobs that bring people in to repair and maintain these precious buildings?

Mr Evennett: I thank my right hon. Friend for her question. Before I answer it, I congratulate her on her superb work as a Church Commissioner. She is always hard at work on such matters. I totally agree with her: we want to bring new life into our rural communities, and if we can use churches to do that, we should. I mentioned earlier the innovative champing initiative. In a rural area that might be just what is needed. I welcome my right hon. Friend’s comments. We would warmly welcome and encourage any developments that bring tourism, jobs and opportunities to rural areas.

Written Answer: Church buildings and community use

On 4th February 2016, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner, responded to a written question from Karl McCartney MP, on the community use of church buildings:

Church CommissionersChurch of England: Community Relations: Written question – 

Karl McCartney (Lincoln) To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to ensure that its buildings are open for wider community use.

Church Commissioner answer: Church Roof repair fund

On the 15th January 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question on uptake of the church roof repair fund in Devon and Cornwall.

 Mr Geoffrey Cox (Torridge and West Devon): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what grants the Church Commissioners have given to churches in (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall from the Roof Repair Fund in each of the last five years.
Caroline SpelmanMrs Caroline Spelman: The Listed Places of Worship Roof Repair Fund grants are distributed by the National Heritage Memorial Fund, on behalf of the Government. There has been one round of grants to date, announced in March 2015,

(a) 22 churches in Devon were offered grants totalling £1,199,700

(b) 7 churches in Cornwall were offered grants totalling £492,700.

A second round to distribute a further £25 million allocated by the Treasury is currently open, with applications closing on Friday, 26 February.

(via Parliament.uk)

Bishop of Chester pays tribute to Heritage Lottery Fund support for cathedrals and church buildings

On 17th December 2015 the House of Lords debated a motion from Lord Holmes of Richmond, “To move that this House takes note, on the occasion of its 21st birthday, of the contribution made by the National Lottery to sport, culture, charities and national heritage throughout the United Kingdom.” The Bishop of Chester, Rt Revd Peter Forster, spoke in the debate,paying tribute to the positive impact lottery funding has had on cathedrals and church buildings. 

14.03 Bishop of Chester

The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, most of us will remember the strapline which launched the National Lottery: “It could be you”. Well, I never quite believed that it would be me but, nevertheless, the lottery has had great success over time. Many people thought that it would slightly fade from view and lose some of its initial gloss. Indeed, people worked out that it probably would not be them at all. It is very interesting how it has become a national institution. In that sense, we have been led into temptation on a grand scale. Continue reading “Bishop of Chester pays tribute to Heritage Lottery Fund support for cathedrals and church buildings”

Church Commissioner Questions – Syrian refugees, fossil fuel investments, hedgehogs

On the 17th December 2015 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered four oral questions in the House of Commons about Syrian refugees, fossil fuel investments and the protection of hedgehogs.

Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions – Syrian refugees, fossil fuel investments, hedgehogs”

Gravestones and monuments – written answer

On 16th September 2015 Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, answered a written question from Mark Hendrick MP about regulations relating to graveyards in Blackburn Diocese.

Spelman CCQs June 2015 1Mr Mark Hendrick: [9765] To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, which Church of England dioceses have published regulations on monuments on burial plots and inscriptions on gravestones; which dioceses (a) allow and (b) do not allow nicknames on gravestones; which dioceses allow monuments; which dioceses (i) allow and (ii) do not allow pictorial etchings on gravestones; and which dioceses (A) allow and (B) do not allow freestanding containers on burial plots. Continue reading “Gravestones and monuments – written answer”

Church Commissioners’ questions – climate change and open church buildings

On 10th September 2015 Caroline Spelman, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, answered two oral questions in the House of Commons,on climate Change and open and sustainable churches.  

Climate Change

Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab): What steps the Church Commissioners are taking to support the Church of England’s international efforts to tackle climate change. [901256]

Spelman CCQs June 2015 1The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Mrs Caroline Spelman): The Church of England, along with the wider Anglican Communion, is actively tacking climate change in four ways: assessing its investment strategy and, where necessary, divesting in the context of our climate change policy; actively engaging with public policy; attending the forthcoming Paris conference; and encouraging its parishes to reduce their carbon footprint and their parishioners to do the same. Continue reading “Church Commissioners’ questions – climate change and open church buildings”

Churches’ role in helping rural broadband provision


On the 10th September 2015 Caroline Spelman MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner, asked Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss about churches providing access to rural broadband.
Rt Hon. Caroline Spelman Caroline Spelman(Meriden) (Con): The Churches are keen to offer their buildings to help address better rural broadband provision. Would the Secretary of State be willing to convene a roundtable of interested dioceses and suppliers to share the findings of the rural superfast broadband pilots? Continue reading “Churches’ role in helping rural broadband provision”