The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 16th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what conversations they have had with heritage and faith communities about zero-rating VAT on repairs to listed buildings; and what assessment they have made of potential implications for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme”The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 11th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the preservation of historic places of worship if the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme is not extended after March 2025.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme”On 28th November 2024, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following answers to questions from MPs in the House of Commons:
The Bishop of St Albans spoke in a debate on the impact of the recent Budget on arts, culture, and heritage on 14th November 2024, raising the issue of the Listed Places of Worship Grants scheme and the impact of increased VAT on choir schools:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I too thank the noble Baroness, Lady Sater, for securing this debate.
A number of elements of the recent Budget are to be welcomed, such as the continuation of Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief and the cultural infrastructure funding. However, many of us were disappointed that there was no update on the Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme, which is such a lifeline for so many of our historic buildings. The Church of England and other churches are trustees of some of the most important buildings in this country. We have to raise, voluntarily, tens of millions of pounds, and we really need to find ways to help very many pressurised local communities. These buildings are not used just for worship; many of them are the local concert venue. They have all sorts of music-making going on and they are places where music lessons are given. Many of our schools come into the churches, and they are used for all sorts of reasons beyond Sunday and midweek worship. I hope that DCMS will make a decision on this in the coming weeks, and I urge the Minister to ensure its future.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans raises impact of budget on listed places of worship and cathedral choir schools”On 1st November 2024, Marsha De Cordova MP, on behalf of the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:
Church of England: Newcastle-Under-Lyme
Adam Jogee MP (Lab, Newcastle-Under-Lyme): To ask the Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, if she will meet with the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme to discuss the condition of the Church estate in that constituency.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Newcastle-Under-Lyme”On 25th April 2024, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:
Church of England: Slavery
Dr Matthew Offord MP (Con, Hendon): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church plans to publicly acknowledge historic links with the chattel slave trade.
Andrew Selous MP (Con, South West Bedfordshire): The Archbishop of Canterbury has been unequivocal on the theology of this issue, noting on his visit to Cape Coast Castle in Ghana in February 2023:
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Slavery, Tree Planting, Churches in Cumbria & Lincolnshire, and Redundant Churches”The Bishop of Bristol received the following written answer on 22nd March 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol asked His Majesty’s Government:
On 26th February 2024, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:
Churches: Nigeria
Sir Edward Leigh MP (Con, Gainsborough): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church has had discussions with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on the attack on the St Francis Xavier Church in Owo, Nigeria in 2022; and whether the Church is providing aid for the victims of that attack.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Churches in Nigeria, Silent Discos, Asylum, Independent Safeguarding Board, CofE Staff, and Church Finances”On 22nd February 2024, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following answers to MPs in the House of Commons:
Theft: Security of Church Buildings
Greg Smith MP (Con, Buckingham) asked: Whether the commissioners have issued recent guidance to church parishes on securing buildings to prevent theft.
Bob Blackman MP (Con, Harrow East) asked: Whether the Commissioners have issued recent guidance to church parishes on securing buildings to help prevent theft.
Andrew Selous MP (Con, South West Bedfordshire): Before I reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham, may I pass on my condolences, and I am sure those of the whole House, to the family and friends of Alan Wilson, the Bishop of Buckingham, who died suddenly last Saturday?
There is comprehensive advice to all parishes on the Church of England website about how to keep buildings secure, which we regularly update. All buildings used for religious worship are also eligible for the Home Office’s hate crime protection scheme.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Questions: Theft from Church Buildings, Asylum Seekers, Same Sex Relationships, and Churches on the World Watch List”On 11th January 2024, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following answers to MPs in the House of Commons:
Choral Music: Cathedrals
Michael Fabricant MP (Con, Lichfield) asked: Whether the Commissioners are taking steps to support choral music in cathedrals.
Andrew Selous MP (Con, South West Bedfordshire): The Church Commissioners provided £1 million to support music in cathedrals during the pandemic. That sum was match funded by the Cathedral Music Trust. The commissioners are extremely grateful to the trust for doing what it did to help ensure that worship in our cathedrals remains of the highest calibre.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Questions: Choral Music, Rough Sleeping, Multimedia Platforms, Church Buildings, Christians in Cuba, and the Anglican Hospital in Gaza”
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