Tag: slavery

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.

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Slavery (Compensation)

On 19th November 2025, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:

Slavery: Compensation

Andrew Rosindell MP (Con, Romford): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether she has made an assessment of the compatibility of (a) ‘Project Spire’ and (b) the ‘Fund for Healing, Repair, and Justice’ with the trustee obligations of the Board of Governors of the Church Commissioners.

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Religious Buildings, Retired Clergy, Church Closures, Clergy Vacancies, Slavery, Religious Practice

On 1st September 2025, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:

Religious Buildings

Andrew Rosindell MP (Con, Romford): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the National Church Institutions have issued guidance on the use of sacred places of worship for secular purposes.

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church of England – Slavery, Churches – Flags

On 4th July 2025, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:

Church of England: Slavery

Neil O’Brien MP (Con, Harborough, Oadby and Wigston): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, for what reason the Church Commissioners have spent £5 million on Project Spire prior to approval from the Charity Commission.

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church of England – Slavery

On 17th June 2025, Marsha De Cordova MP, on behalf of the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:

Church of England: Slavery

Katie Lam MP (Con, Weald of Kent): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2025 to Question 47116 on Church of England: Slavery, when the Church Commissioners plan to submit an application to authorise an ex-gratia payment for Project Spire under section 106 of the Charities Act 2011.

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Church Commissioners Questions: Same-sex couples – Church Blessing Services, Occupied Palestinian Territories – Christians, Interfaith Cohesion, Safeguarding, Leaseholds, Church Assets – Historical Link to Slavery

On 22nd May 2025, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following answers to questions from MPs in the House of Commons:

Same-sex couples: Church Blessing Services

Steve Race MP (Lab, Exeter) asked: What steps the Church is taking to roll out stand-alone services to bless same-sex couples.

Marsha De Cordova MP (Lab, Battersea): A proposal to enable churches to opt in to the use of prayers of love and faith in stand-alone services is out for consultation and will come back to the House of Bishops in October.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners Questions: Same-sex couples – Church Blessing Services, Occupied Palestinian Territories – Christians, Interfaith Cohesion, Safeguarding, Leaseholds, Church Assets – Historical Link to Slavery”

Church Commissioners Written Questions: Slavery

On 7th May 2025, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha de Cordova MP, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:

Katie Lam MP (Con, Weald of Kent): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, with reference to p.10 of the report entitled Church Commissioners’ Research into Historic Links to Transatlantic Chattel Slavery, published on 1 January 2023, for what reason that report was not peer reviewed to an academic standard.

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Slavery

On 6th May 2025,  the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answers to questions from an MP:

Church of England: Slavery

Katie Lam MP (Con, Weald of Kent): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, when Project Spire discussions began between the Charity Commission and the Church Commissioners.

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Slavery, Tree Planting, Churches in Cumbria & Lincolnshire, and Redundant Churches

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:

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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.

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