On 27th October 2015, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from the MP for Peterborough, Stewart Jackson, about land for housing development near Peterborough. Continue reading “Church Commissioners asked about land for housing”
Tag: Church Commissioners
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.
Mr 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]
The 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”
Church Commissioner written answers: Metal theft, closed churches, food banks
On the 10th of September 2015 Caroline Spelman MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner, answered five written questions from members of the House of Commons, about metal theft, closed churches and food banks.
Churches: Blackburn
The following two were grouped together:Mr Mark Hendrick (Preston): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, which Church of England churches in the Diocese of Blackburn were subject to metal theft from rooves in (a) 2012, (b) 2013 and (c) 2014; and which such churches were redundant. [8993]
Mr Mark Hendrick (Preston): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, which Church of England churches in the Diocese of Blackburn have been subject to metal theft from roofs in each year since 2012; and which such churches were redundant churches. [8387]
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 
(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”
Tributes to the Queen – Second Church Estates Commissioner
On the 10th September 2015 the House of Commons paid tributes to the Queen on her becoming the longest reigning monarch. Caroline Spelman MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner, paid tribute on behalf of the Church of England.
The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Mrs Caroline Spelman): On behalf of the Church of England, I would like to pay tribute in this House to the Queen as head of the Church for the faithful and inspiring leadership she has provided to the Church, regularly speaking about the importance of her faith in her personal life and in her role—not just in the Christmas broadcast but all through the year. In the House of Lords, the Bishop of Peterborough will be placing a tribute, and up and down the country churches will be celebrating her long reign with services and other events. We wish her many more happy years to reign.
(Via Parliament.UK)
Church Commsisioner land in Peterborough – written answer
On 29th June 2015 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, resoponded to a written question from Stewart Jackson MP about Commissioner land sites in Peterborough.
Education and Adoption Bill – Speech by Caroline Spelman
On the 22nd June 2015 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, spoke during the second reading debate of the Government’s Education and Adoption Bill. Emphasising the role of the Church of England in education, and welcoming the move towards more multi-academy trusts, Mrs Spelman sought assurances that the proposed new Government powers of intervention would not limit the Church’s ability to control its existing schools and promote new ones. Her speech is in full, below:
Continue reading “Education and Adoption Bill – Speech by Caroline Spelman”
Church Commissioner Written Questions – Church Buildings & Solar Power
On the 22nd June 2015 The Rt Hon. Caroline Spelman MP answered two written questions on behalf of the Church Commissioners, relating to solar power on church buildings and community energy generation.
Continue reading “Church Commissioner Written Questions – Church Buildings & Solar Power”
Church Commissioners’ Questions: church buildings, Christians in Iran, clergy wellbeing, General Synod diversity
On 18th June 2015 the Rt. Hon Caroline Spelman MP answered questions from MPs as Second Church Estates Commissioner. Mrs Spelman, who was answering questions for the first time since taking on the role, was asked about improving the sustainability of church buildings, Christians in Iran, the wellbeing of clergy and the diversity of the General Synod of the Church of England. Mrs Spelman also paid tribute to the former Second Church Estates Commissioner the Rt. Hon Sir Tony Baldry and expressed sympathy for the Methodist Church in South Carolina following the recent tragic shootings.
The full text is available below and a video link is also available, here
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