Tag: Church Commissioners

Second Church Estates Commissioner welcomes Small Charitable Donations and Childcare Payments Bill

Caroline SpelmanOn Tuesday 11th October 2016 the House of Commons debated the Government’s Small Charitable Donations and Childcare Bill at its Second Reading. The Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, spoke in the debate:

Dame Caroline Spelman (Meriden) (Con): I have to declare an interest, as I am sure will many Members who are present, as a Member of Parliament who has set up a charity. In fact, I have set up two. The fact that, 20 years on, only one still exists shows part of the experience of people who set up charities for good causes, because it is often hard to sustain the funding. The first is a charity that supports people who suffer from substance abuse and it is flourishing, but with the second, which was set up to support the victims of domestic violence, I found it hard to continue to secure funds. That is the nature of charitable work and it will not stop any of us from setting up new charities. Hopefully, the Bill will encourage more of us and our constituents to take such opportunities. Continue reading “Second Church Estates Commissioner welcomes Small Charitable Donations and Childcare Payments Bill”

Church Commissioners Written Answer: Children in Care

Caroline SpelmanOn 5th September 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Graham Allen MP about the Church of England’s response to a report on abuse at Kendall House, Gravesend.

Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church of England plans to respond to the report by Professor Sue Proctor on abuse at Kendall House, Gravesend, published in July 2016. Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Answer: Children in Care”

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 written answer: Mothers and Babies

Caroline SpelmanOn 12th July 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Mark Hendrick MP about facilities for mothers and babies in local churches.

Mr Mark Hendrick (Preston): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what facilities are available for (a) lactating mothers and (b) the changing of babies within churches in the Diocese of Blackburn (i) during church services and (ii) at other times. Continue reading “Church Commissioners written answer: Mothers and Babies”

Church Commissioner Written Answer: Human Trafficking

Caroline SpelmanOn 7th July 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Jim Shannon MP on human trafficking:

Jim Shannon (Strangford): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps are being taken by the Church of England to tackle human trafficking.

Mrs Caroline Spelman: In March 2014 the Archbishop of Canterbury, with Pope Francis and other global faith leaders, gave their backing to the Global Freedom Network (www.globalfreedomnetwork.org), a ground breaking ecumenical initiative to combat modern slavery and human trafficking. The Archbishop is planning an international conference in 2017 with the Ecumenical Patriarch.  Continue reading “Church Commissioner Written Answer: Human Trafficking”

Church Commissioner written answer: First World War commemorations

Caroline SpelmanOn 7th July 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Jim Shannon MP on commemorations for the First World War:

Jim Shannon (Strangford):  To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church of England has plans for educational projects to commemorate the First World War in addition to existing centenary events.

Mrs Caroline Spelman: The Church of England has led many of the commemorative events for the First World War at a local and national level. It would not be possible to list all the activities taking place now and in the future to commemorate the sacrifice of those who fought in the First World War, but each diocese and parish is marking the centenary in its own way. Continue reading “Church Commissioner written answer: First World War commemorations”

Church Commissioner questions: Out of school settings, human trafficking, women bishops, House of Lords, poverty, church toilets

On 7th July 2016 Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP answered questions from MPs in the House of Commons, in her capacity as Second Church Estates Commissioner. Questions were asked on out of school settings, human trafficking, women bishops, bishops in the House of Lords, poverty and church toilets.

Mr Speaker: Order. We come now to questions to the Second Church Estates Commissioner, the right hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), representing the Church Commissioners, and to the right hon. Member for South West Devon—[Interruption.] I mean the hon. Member for South West Devon (Mr Streeter)—it is only a matter of time—representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission.

 

Spelman CCQs June 2015 4Church Commissioners

The right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners was asked— Continue reading “Church Commissioner questions: Out of school settings, human trafficking, women bishops, House of Lords, poverty, church toilets”

Deprivation: Church Commissioners Written Answer

Caroline SpelmanOn 15th June 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from SNP MP Deidre Brock, on deprived communities.

Deidre Brock (Edinburgh North and Leith): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Church of England will make an assessment of the effect of austerity on communities in the most deprived areas as measured by the English Indices of Deprivation 2015 [40353].

Mrs Caroline Spelman: The Church Commissioners have no plans to undertake such an assessment. Through its network of parishes and dioceses the Church of England is present in all the communities of England. The clergy and people of the Church of England are well placed to hear, articulate and respond to the needs and concerns of local communities. This plays an important role in informing the public engagement of the Church on social policy matters especially at local level.

(via Parliament.uk)

Church Commissioners Written Question: Churches – Credit Unions

CarolineOn the 26th May 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner. Mrs Caroline Spelman MP answered a written question to the Church Commissioners about the Church of England’s engagement with credit unions.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Question: Churches – Credit Unions”

Church Commissioners: Near Neighbours

On 5th May 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Karl McCartney MP, on Near Neighbours:

Karl McCartney (Lincoln): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what progress has been made on the Near Neighbours programme. [904799]

Caroline SpelmanMrs Caroline Spelman: The Church Commissioners welcome the Government’s recent announcement of a further £1.5 million for the Near Neighbours programme, which is administered by the Church Urban Fund.

This third round of funding for Near Neighbours will help it build on its successful track record of delivering projects up and down the country to transform local areas by strengthening relationships between those of different religious and ethnic backgrounds on issues of shared concern.

The Near Neighbours programme has offered small grants between £250 and £5,000, providing seed capital for local groups and organisations who are working to bring together neighbours, to develop relationships across diverse faiths and ethnicities in order to improve their communities.

The Near Neighbours grants fund has so far awarded seed capital worth £3.66m to over 1,120 projects. These projects have impacted the lives of 941,000 people and 71% of projects have continued to run after the initial seed capital was spent. All Near Neighbours projects are designed to change hearts and minds by bringing together different communities within a neighbourhood so that they can work together on issues of shared concern and common values.

More information on Near Neighbours can be found on its website at: https://www.cuf.org.uk/how-we-help/near-neighbours

(via Parliament.uk)