LGBT+ Christians in the UK
(Cardiff South and Penarth)
(Lab/Co-op)
1. To ask the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire,
representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is
taking to support equality for LGBT+ Christians in the UK.
[900635]
The Second Church Estates Commissioner ()
Before I answer the hon. Gentleman, I would like to pay a short
tribute to my predecessor, ,
who demonstrated humanity, helpfulness and humour, all qualities
I will do my best to emulate in this role.
This is a timely question from the hon. Gentleman, in LGBT
history month. The Church has worked with Stonewall to produce
the “Valuing all God’s children” guidance, which proactively
combats homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools.
I thank the hon. Member for his answer and join him in his
tribute to the former Member for Meriden, with whom I worked on
many issues. I totally agree with the comments he made about her
and wish her well for the future; I am sure she has a big role to
play in the country. However, the comments that he made do not
reflect the pastoral guidance that the Church issued in recent
weeks, which the archbishops have apologised for and which
suggested that sexual relationships outside heterosexual marriage
fall
“short of God’s purpose for human beings.”
Does he recognise the great deal of concern within the Anglican
communion that this potentially pre-empts the Living in Love and
Faith discussions, which are ongoing, and sends a message of
non-inclusivity at the start of LGBT history month, which is
greatly regrettable?
The hon. Gentleman will probably be aware that the archbishops
issued an apology for the way that that pastoral statement was
issued. He is aware of the Church of England’s Living in Love and
Faith project, which is looking very closely at all these issues
and will be reporting later this year.
St Mary's Graveyard, Stoke Mandeville
(Aylesbury) (Con)
2. To ask the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire,
representing the Church Commissioners, what representations
Church authorities have made to (a) the Department for Transport
and (b) HS2 Ltd on the exhumation of graves on the site of the
old church of St Mary's, Stoke Mandeville. [900636]
I recognise the sensitivities in this issue and I can tell my
hon. Friend that an agreement has been reached between the
Secretary of State for Transport and the Archbishops’ Council
about the exhumation of graves and the reburial of remains in
consecrated ground. I can assure my hon. Friend that this will be
done with dignity and respect.
My constituent Mrs Bradley’s great great grandfather is buried at
St Mary’s, Stoke Mandeville, and she was very distressed to learn
by accident that the graves were to be exhumed by construction
work linked to HS2. How will the Church of England monitor this
to ensure that the exhumations are carried out in the way that my
hon. Friend has just described, even on deconsecrated land?
I am extremely sorry that Mrs Bradley found out about the
exhumation of her great great grandfather by accident, and we
will announce the location of reinterment in consecrated ground
in due course. I can tell my hon. Friend that in all cases this
will be as near as possible to the original grave or graveyard
and that the law requires that HS2 put up a memorial for all
those who are reinterred.
Church Schools and Universities
(Wolverhampton South
West) (Con)
5. What recent assessment the Commissioners have made of the
effectiveness of the contribution of Church schools and
universities to the education system in England. [900640]
The Second Church Estates Commissioner ()
The Church of England educates 1 million children every day, runs
a quarter of all primary schools and operates 4,644 schools in
total, 91% of which are good or outstanding. There are also 15
universities in the Cathedrals Group in England, which educate
100,000 students and train 40% of all key stage 2 and 3 teachers.
What help might the Church be able to give for the much-needed
further education learning quarter in Wolverhampton?
I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this issue. The
Church strongly supports investment in further education and the
Wolverhampton education quarter is an imaginative proposal to
benefit the city. While we are at a very early stage of possible
Church involvement, I know that the diocesan director of
education and senior local chaplains will be very willing to meet
him to discuss the proposal.
(Bristol West) (Lab)
Will the hon. Gentleman update us on what strategic national work
the Church might be doing with the Department for Education to
support local schools that are experiencing changes to school
rolls due to population changes? Otherwise excellent schools,
such as St George’s and St Michael’s in my constituency, are
having to experience differences in their local population. What
strategic work is going on nationally to support the local work
that is so necessary?
Being relatively new in post, I am afraid that I am not
immediately aware of that, but I am very happy to raise the hon.
Lady’s concerns with Nigel Genders, our director of education at
Church House, and I will get back to her.
Christians in Nigeria
(New Forest West) (Con)
6. What steps the Church is taking to assist persecuted
Christians in Nigeria. [900641]
The knows Nigeria
well and has visited it on a number of occasions. He is extremely
aware of the local tensions and context of this issue. The recent
attacks in northern Nigeria by Boko Haram and Islamist militia
are a source of profound concern to him and the Church.
Is my hon. Friend satisfied with the progress in implementing the
Bishop of Truro’s findings?
I know my right hon. Friend takes a very close interest in these
matters. Ten of the recommendations from the Bishop of Truro’s
review have been, or are being implemented, and the others are
being worked on. Our diplomats are using the review to engage
their host Governments wherever there are abuses of freedom of
religion or belief.
(Lewisham East) (Lab)
The UK hosts Christians from all over the world, from Lebanon to
Sri Lanka, and in Lewisham East we have a vibrant Nigerian
Christian community. It would be a shame if the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office did not tap into the knowledge and culture
available at home in the UK better to serve persecuted
communities abroad.
I thank the hon. Lady very much for that excellent suggestion. I
will certainly feed back to Church House and Lambeth Palace the
point she helpfully makes.
Civil Partnerships
(Exeter) (Lab)
7. Whether the Commissioners were consulted on recent guidance by
the Church on civil partnerships; and if he will make a
statement. [900642]
I am accountable for the Church of England in this place. The
Church Commissioners are not consulted on announcements by the
College of Bishops. The archbishops have since apologised for the
division and hurt caused by the pastoral statement.
Mr Bradshaw
Regardless of that, I think it was discourteous of the bishops
not to inform the Second Church Estates Commissioner. The
legislation was passed overwhelmingly in this House with
all-party support. It is bad enough that the Church still treats
its LGBT+ members as second-class Christians, but to say to the
child of a heterosexual couple in a civil partnership that they
should not exist because their parents should not have had or be
having sex is so hurtful. Will he tell the bishops that unless
this nonsense stops serious questions will be asked in this place
about the legitimacy of the established status of the Church of
England?
I will certainly feed back the right hon. Gentleman’s strongly
felt concern on this issue to the College of Bishops. In their
apology, the archbishops did recognise that the pastoral
statement had jeopardised the trust that has been built up as
part of the Living in Love and Faith project, which is intended
to discern the way forward for the Church of England on this
issue.
Church of England Free Schools
(Chelsea and Fulham) (Con)
8. What recent discussions he has had with the Commissioners on
increasing the number of Church of England free schools in
England. [900643]
The Church has been a successful partner in the free schools
programme since it began. Dioceses work hard to help these new
schools to open. The Church is also keen to support new
alternative provision and special schools through the free
schools programme.
The fantastic Fulham Boys School will finally open at its new
site in September, after a 10-year campaign. It is a Church of
England-sponsored free school whose co-patrons are myself and
Graham Tomlin, the Bishop of Kensington. However, the latest wave
of free school applications shows very few involving the Church
of England. What can my hon. Friend do, in his role, to persuade
the Church to sponsor more free schools?
The Church of England educates a million children. It runs a
fifth of all schools in England, and 91% of those are good or
outstanding, which is just one of the reasons why they are so
popular with parents. The Church is the largest sponsor of
academies in England, with 900. I am delighted to learn that
there has been a happy conclusion to Fulham Boys School’s search
for a new site, and I know that lots of parents are very happy
with the school.
Church Maintenance: Bosworth
(Bosworth) (Con)
11. To ask the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire,
representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the
Commissioners are taking to support the maintenance of churches
in (a) Bosworth constituency and (b) the UK. [900646]
The Second Church Estates Commissioner ()
Lowest income communities funding supported mission and ministry
in Holy Trinity and St John’s churches in Hinckley in my hon.
Friend’s constituency in 2019. Across England from 2020 to 2022,
£82.1 million will be allocated by the Commissioners as lowest
income communities funding, with a further £82.1 million in
strategic development funding to support diocesan plans.
Dr Evans
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for talking about the repairs
that are going on in churches in my constituency and across the
country, but churches in Hinckley and Bosworth, and indeed across
the country, face the risk of having their roofs stolen. This is
an ongoing problem; it has not gone away. I would be grateful for
his comments on what the Commission is doing to try to prevent
this.
I am exceedingly grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this
point, because it is a real issue for churches up and down the
country, many of which cannot get insurance if this happens on a
second or subsequent occasion. The Church has asked the
Government to review and strengthen the Scrap Metal Dealers Act
2013. Initially, the Act dramatically reduced thefts, but changes
to serious organised criminal behaviour have led to increases,
and I will be asking what plans the Government have to amend the
Act.
