Church
Commissioners
The hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the
Church Commissioners was asked—
Covid-19 Lockdown: Public Worship
(Gainsborough) (Con)
What representations the Church of England has made to the
Government on the importance of public worship during periods of
covid-19 lockdown. [909344]
The Second Church Estates Commissioner ()
Both archbishops joined other faith leaders earlier this month in
writing to the Prime Minister to highlight the importance of
public worship. The worship of Jesus is the spiritual fuel that
keeps the engine of the Church running.
Over the past 1,000 years, we have had a fair proportion of
saints and sinners as ,
but one thing that we demand of our established Church is that it
provides robust leadership against arbitrary government. I do not
know whether my hon. Friend noticed that 90 colleagues and I
wrote to the Prime Minister on the subject of the closure of
churches, but can he assure me, as a voice of the established
Church in this place, that if there is any future proposal to
prevent public worship, the Church of England will demand
evidence—there has never been a shred of evidence—and we will try
to save this very important part of public life?
I not only noted my right hon. Friend’s letter, but was one of
the signatories to it. Like him, I know that clergy have worked
extraordinarily hard to provide covid-secure services. I felt
safer in church than in any other public space I have been in
during the pandemic. My right hon. Friend makes a very valid
point. I have registered that point very strongly, and I will
absolutely feed it through to the leadership of the Church of
England.
High-quality Grade 1 and 2 Farmland
(Bristol East) (Lab)
What proportion of agricultural land owned by the Church of
England is high-quality grade 1 and 2 farmland. [909345]
Approximately 35,000 acres of land owned by the Church
Commissioners is high-quality grade 1 and 2 farmland,
representing 39% of the overall agricultural portfolio.
Information on diocesan land holdings is not held by the Church
Commissioners.
I thank the hon. Member for that answer. At the last Church
Commissioners questions, he said to me that he strongly wanted to
see more trees planted on the Church estate, but that most of the
rural estate is high-quality agricultural land and is therefore
not suitable. He has just said that 39% is high-grade
agricultural land. Does that not mean there is an awful lot of
other land on which they could plant trees and help meet the
Government’s commitment to increasing woodland cover?
As I think I said at the last questions, I commend the hon. Lady
for raising this issue and, indeed, for returning to it today,
and I genuinely welcome her scrutiny. More than 60% of our
farmland is let on secure agricultural tenancies, with the rest
on tenancies under the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995. Both of
those limit our ability to intervene directly. However, we do
encourage our tenants to farm sustainably and join environmental
stewardship schemes to plant trees and hedgerows wherever
possible. In addition, we are undertaking a natural capital
assessment, which will provide a baseline and trajectory of
progress towards achieving lower carbon outputs.
ted by other Governments and for other polls, to provide a more
proportionate regime.
Church Commissioners
The hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the
Church Commissioners was asked—
Christmas Services: Covid-19
(Bosworth) (Con)
What steps the Church of England is taking to support churches to
conduct Christmas services during the covid-19 outbreak. [909347]
(Penrith and The Border) (Con)
What steps the Church of England is taking to help ensure that
people can safely celebrate Advent and Christmas during the
covid-19 outbreak. [909352]
(Redcar) (Con)
What steps the Church of England is taking to help ensure that
people can safely celebrate Advent and Christmas during the
covid-19 outbreak. [909353]
The Second Church Estates Commissioner ()
From 2 December, places of worship can reopen for public worship,
and churches and cathedrals can now approach Advent and Christmas
with certainty. Clergy have already demonstrated that they have
made their buildings covid-secure, and many cathedrals and
churches are planning to have multiple services to accommodate
more people as fewer are allowed in each service. The further
good news is that, while indoor singing is limited to performance
only, we can all take part in outdoor and door-to-door singing,
staying 2 metres apart or away from the threshold, and nativity
plays for under-18s are permitted in accordance with the
performing arts guidance.
Dr Evans [V]
I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s comments on services, but at
Christmas time, the Church does a lot more—it provides support
for our communities through financial advice, fuel and food
poverty advice and, of course, the social support that is at the
heart of it all. With that in mind, what discussions has he had
with local and national Government and the Churches to ensure
that they can continue to provide that support in a covid-secure
way at Christmas?
I know that my hon. Friend takes a close interest in this area of
the Church’s work. The Church continues to work with the
Government through the places of worship taskforce to advise
parishes on how to continue providing critical assistance
locally, which they have done wonderfully well. For example, St
Peter’s in Market Bosworth, in his constituency, is supporting
the local women’s refuge with food and toiletries.
Dr Hudson [V]
I thank my hon. Friend for his answer. Once again, churches have
done amazingly through this pandemic, continuing with outreach to
their communities. I pay tribute to the churches in Penrith and
The Border and across the country that enabled remembrance
ceremonies to go ahead this year in challenging circumstances.
Does he agree that, as churches look to reopen for worship and
other activities in the months ahead, targeted Government
financial support for them would be a great way to ensure that
their vital community work and support can carry on?
Churches did indeed organise very respectful and safe remembrance
services. The National Churches Trust estimates that the economic
value of our social action is worth around £12.4 billion. I can
tell my hon. Friend that 227 churches and cathedrals have been
supported by the culture recovery fund, for which I thank the
Government.
[V]
I thank my hon. Friend for his answer. Churches in Redcar and
Cleveland, such as St Mark’s in Marske and St Cuthbert’s in
Ormesby, have gone above and beyond to ensure that the risk of
transmission in churches is low. They are a place for people of
all faiths and none to find peace in what has been an incredibly
difficult eight months. Unfortunately, Advent Sunday this year
will fall inside the lockdown, but I am grateful that the
Government have said that churches can reopen for the rest of
Advent from 2 December. What message does the Church Commissioner
have for those churches in Redcar and Cleveland in the approach
to Christmas?
I am delighted to learn of the important role that churches in
Redcar and Cleveland have played in helping people to find peace
during this dreadful pandemic. The closure of churches is not
something that any of us ever wants to see again. I hope that my
hon. Friend’s constituents will follow the advice of the
: to
come to church in person or virtually and to spend time with
their wider families in a safe and responsible way.
Consistory Courts: Appeals Process
(St Helens North) (Lab)
What recent assessment the commissioners have made of the
effectiveness of the process of appeal against consistory court
decisions to the provincial court of the archbishop. [909348]
The decision of a consistory court can, with permission, be
appealed to the relevant provincial court, provided that the
appeal does not relate to a question of doctrine, ritual or
ceremonial. As in the temporal courts, an appeal must have a real
prospect of success, or there should be some other compelling
reason why the appeal should be heard.
I want to pay tribute to the family of Margaret Keane, whose
grief at the loss of their mother has been compounded by still
not having a headstone on her grave to visit this Christmas, two
and a half years on from her death. The family have said that
Margaret is “In our hearts forever”—“In ár gcroíthe go deo”—and
that sentiment is shared now by the Irish community in Britain.
May I ask the commissioner—I thank him and the Church for their
engagement with me and the work they do in Saint Helens in the
diocese of Liverpool—if a review can take place into the current
appeals system in ecclesiastical courts, whereby even successful
appellants are liable potentially for huge court costs to an
unlimited amount? This is an access to justice issue and one of
fairness that should be looked at.
I am sure that the whole House would want to extend their
sympathies to the Keane family, and I am hopeful that change is
on the way. The Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions)
Measure 2020, which was recently passed by this House, provides
for exemptions from and reductions in court fees in the
ecclesiastical courts to be made in secondary legislation. The
Fees Advisory Commission will be asked to consider these
provisions and, following that, an Order in General Synod will be
made next year and will be laid before Parliament.
Parish Church Network: Covid-19
Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)
What steps the Church of England is taking to secure the
long-term financial stability of the parish church network
following the covid-19 outbreak. [909349]
The Church has provided £35 million of sustainability funding to
help dioceses that have been the hardest hit financially as a
result of the pandemic. This is focused on dioceses in lower
income areas and with fewer historic resources. Advice has been
given on encouraging joyful giving and tithing as the cornerstone
of parish finances, both by direct debit and card readers, as
well as traditional giving in the plate.
Karl MᶜCartney [V]
Good morning, Mr Speaker, and I look forward to seeing you later.
I thank my hon. Friend for his response on behalf of the Church
Commissioners—[Inaudible]—it is pleasing to hear. We look forward
to a quick return to daily and weekly services for primary
worship as soon as we are able, but also to the collections taken
at these services along with the extra-curricular activities in
the annual calendar of parish churches to fundraise and generate
income for churches and their parishioners, which we hope can be
reinstated as soon as is practicable, too.
Public worship can start again from next Wednesday, but it may
take a while for church hall income, fundraising events and
visitor income to pick up. Twelve churches in the Lincoln diocese
have received £1.8 million from the Government’s culture recovery
fund, and Lincoln cathedral has received £1.2 million from that
fund.
Local Communities: Covid-19
(Southend West) (Con)
What steps the Church of England has taken to support local
communities throughout the covid-19 outbreak. [909350]
As the has
pointed out, the Church has been “astonishingly present”
throughout the pandemic, with over 35,000 active community
projects. The GRA:CE Project report by Theos and the Church Urban
Fund documents the enormous range and depth of this involvement,
and the National Churches Trust’s “The House of Good” report
recently estimated that parishes contribute around £12.4 billion
of social good to the English economy.
I know that my hon. Friend would agree with me that at this
particular time our churches are more important than ever.
Certainly in my constituency, they do remarkable work—for
instance, with the Southend night shelters—and during the
coronavirus pandemic, they have been delivering food and
medicines to vulnerable people. Will my hon. Friend please tell
the House what the Church is doing to thank local churches and to
celebrate their work?
I thank my hon. Friend for his question, and he is absolutely
right that we all owe a huge debt of gratitude to clergy and
parish workers, who have worked extraordinarily hard throughout
the pandemic. In Southend West, for example, at Saint Saviour’s
Westcliff, the congregation host a food bank and are collecting
prescriptions and delivering food to those who are unable to
leave their homes in my hon. Friend’s constituency. The Church of
England is encouraging all congregations to continue with this
kind of neighbourliness over the Christmas period to support
vulnerable and lonely people.
Persecution of Christians
(Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)
What steps the Church of England is taking to prevent the
persecution of Christians throughout the world. [909351]
I would like to thank my hon. Friend for the enormous dedication
and energy he put into this issue as the Prime Minister’s special
envoy for religious freedom. The Church of England continues to
press for the implementation of all the Truro report
recommendations and challenges Governments and other faith
leaders around the world who do not respect freedom of religion
or belief.
[V]
I thank my hon. Friend for his kind words. Recently around the
world, including in Nice and Vienna, evil acts have been
committed in the name of religion. Pope Francis said in 2018:
“Every religious leader is called to unmask any attempt to
manipulate God for ends that have nothing to do with him or his
glory.”
The
expressed similar views in 2016 on tackling extremism through
theological dialogue. Can my hon. Friend confirm what steps are
being taken by the Church to work with other faith leaders around
the world to further address the issue of persecutions of
Christians, who are the largest persecuted faith in the world,
and to address the issue of other individuals of all faiths being
persecuted for their faith through theological and inter-faith
dialogue?
My hon. Friend will know that there is a debate later today on
this very subject, and he is absolutely right about the
importance of inter-faith dialogue, which is why three years ago
the Anglican primates launched an inter-faith commission to build
mutual understanding and trust between different faiths. The
,
who has a particular heart for reconciliation, said it
“will bring together the wisest people across the Communion to
work on this area in the places of highest tension with the aim
of replacing diversity in conflict with diversity in
collaboration.”
Christmastide Services
(Lichfield) (Con)
What discussions the commissioners have had with the chairman of
the Association of English Cathedrals on services during
Christmastide; and if he will make a statement. [909354]
The Church Commissioners have regular discussions with the
Association of English Cathedrals, and cathedrals have made huge
efforts to reach out to people in their areas. Lichfield
cathedral, which I know is close to my hon. Friend’s heart—I
think that he lives within its shadow—will be having an
illuminations show and will hold as many services as possible,
including some outside if necessary.
Mr Speaker
Let us go to the shadows of Litchfield cathedral, with .
[V]
Thank you, Mr Speaker; I am indeed very close to Lichfield
cathedral, and the dean of Lichfield cathedral is the chairman of
the Association of English Cathedrals. We are all delighted that
we are going to have services this year and he has sent me a
question, and I am going to read it, because he only lives a few
doors down, and I have given my hon. Friend prior notice of the
question. The dean asks, “What additional support can be given to
cathedrals in the first quarter of 2021 to ensure they remain
open and responsive to public need?”
I thank my hon. Friend for his question, and I will be leaving
these questions to go into a governors meeting of the Church
Commissioners, so I will pass that on very directly. I can tell
him that Lichfield cathedral has received £140,000 from the
national lottery heritage emergency fund, but I know it needs
extra funding for urgent building projects, including a buttress
that is causing structural concern. I can also tell him that
conversations with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and
Sport and the Treasury about the Government’s own Taylor review
of church and cathedral building sustainability are ongoing.
Sexuality and LGBT Communities: Parish Discussion
(Newport West) (Lab)
With reference to the publication of the November 2020 Church of
England report entitled “Living in Love and Faith”, what steps
the Church is taking to encourage parishes to discuss sexuality
and methods of supporting their own LGBT communities. [909357]
The “Living in Love and Faith” report is a teaching and learning
resource for the Church on marriage, sexuality and relationships.
We hope it will enable parishes to learn together over the next
year as we engage graciously, respectfully and compassionately
with each other.
Does the hon. Gentleman agree that equality cannot just be about
words, but also needs to be about actions, so what is actually
being done to reach out to support LGBTQ+ members of the Church
at a local level?
The Church recognises that we are all created in the image of God
and should all be treated with dignity, which is why we have also
created an anti-racism taskforce. With “Living in Love and
Faith”, we will move towards a period of discernment and decision
making in 2022, and we want to ensure that differences of view
are expressed courteously and kindly—something we could do rather
better on in this Chamber from time to time.
Gender-based Violence
(Putney) (Lab)
What recent steps the Anglican Communion has taken to help tackle
gender-based violence throughout the world. [909367]
The Anglican communion is supporting yesterday’s White Ribbon
Day, the United Nations day for the eradication of all forms of
violence against women and girls, with 16 days of online panel
discussions and social media campaigns to spot and eradicate
gender-based violence. The resources are available in seven
languages in over 165 countries, and this is as essential for
economic development as it is for the promotion of fundamental
human dignity.
I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s and Church Commissioners’ support
for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against
Women. Sexual violence in conflict remains far too common a
tactic of warfare. Can the Church Commissioners report on the
steps being taken by the Anglican communion to stop the dreadful
stigmatisation of survivors of sexual violence in conflict and
the important role that the Church can play around the world?
The hon. Lady is absolutely right to raise this completely
horrific practice. I can tell her that the has led
discussions with Ministers about the role of faith communities,
which are often the first point of call for people in need.
Parishes are often willing to scale up support for people
suffering from gender-based violence and domestic abuse. It is
important that there is a level playing field for all providers
of support and advice services, including church ones. That is
what we are doing in the UK, but I take her point about the
global nature of this issue and the important role that the
Anglican communion has in engaging with it.
