Social Prescribing
(York Central) (Lab/Co-op)
What steps the Church of England is taking to support social
prescribing within its communities.
The Second Church Estates Commissioner () [V]
May I first apologise to you, Mr Speaker, and all Members
participating for not being present in person as I am required to
self-isolate at home?
I am very pleased the hon. Lady has asked this question because,
like her, I am a big supporter of social prescribing, and I am
delighted to be able to tell her that the Church of England is a
member of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
green social prescribing advisory board and that we work closely
with the members of the National Academy for Social Prescribing.
While hospital chaplains play a crucial role in providing support
within our NHS, our community chaplains and clergy are highly
trained professionals and could play a far more integral role in
the provision of community health, not least as primary care is
completely overwhelmed currently. What further discussions have
taken place between the Church Commissioners and the Department
of Health and Social Care and also clergy and their local primary
care networks on how they can support the social prescribing
agenda in their communities?
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for praising the valuable work
that clergy do in this area. Examples of Church social
prescribing include our therapeutic gardening projects, often in
urban areas, and the new cycle routes to all our 42 cathedrals.
Nearer to her, the Joyful Connections café at St Luke’s church in
York is linked to a GP social prescribing scheme and has run
dementia-friendly church services. Indeed, a 2018 American
Journal of Epidemiology study showed the positive impact on
wellbeing and mental health of faith in Jesus and being a Church
member.
Public Worship and Singing in Church
(Eastbourne) (Con)
What guidance the Church of England is providing on (a) singing
in church and (b) public worship following the move to step 4 of
the covid-19 road map on 19 July 2021.
[V]
The Church has published fresh guidance to help clergy and
parochial church councils in their decision making, recognising
that the circumstances in each parish may differ for space, age
and demographic reasons.
It has been nearly a year since people in churches could lift
their voices in song, and this Sunday there will be joy. But for
some church leaders, some concern seems to remain, despite the
very well established and known physical and mental benefits
associated with singing. Does my hon. Friend agree that those
benefits should be very much in the hearts and minds of decision
makers as they look at how to progress this summer?
Mr Speaker
Let us see if can sing his answer.
Just like my hon. Friend, I am very much looking forward to being
able to sing in church again—and if it stopped raining or being a
heatwave, we could even worship outside. Clergy will want to do
what is right in their own churches and cathedrals, recognising
that we are many members within one body and are called to be
responsible to and for one another.
Persecution for Religion or Belief
(New Forest West) (Con)
What assessment the Church of England has made of trends in the
level of persecution of people for their religion or belief in
2021.
(Rother
Valley) (Con)
What assessment the Church of England has made of trends in the
level of persecution of people for their religion or belief in
2021.
(Redcar) (Con)
What assessment the Church of England has made of trends in the
level of persecution of people for their religion or belief in
2021.
The Second Church Estates Commissioner () [V]
I am enormously grateful to all three of my right hon. and hon.
Friends for continuing to bring the House’s attention to the
ongoing, horrific levels of persecution of people for their
religion or belief.
How concerned is my hon. Friend about the rise of persecution of
Christians in India, and is there anything to be done?
My right hon. Friend is right about the reports that keep coming
out of India. The Church is pressing the Government to see India
as a country of particular concern where targeted sanctions on
individuals and entities responsible for severe violations of
religious freedom may be needed. Overseas development assistance
should be used to advance the human rights of people of all
faiths in India.
My hon. Friend will be aware of the terrible conflict currently
raging in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. There have been
disturbing reports of violence against Christians and shocking
allegations that priests and nuns have been attacked and killed.
What is the Church doing to help ensure that Christians are
protected in Tigray and that Ethiopia’s religious diversity is
safeguarded?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that the situation in Tigray
is truly desperate. Both churches and mosques are being attacked
and looted and, in some cases, their worshippers killed. Our
bishops have raised their concerns forcefully with the Ethiopian
ambassador and have asked our Ministers to relay their concerns
to the newly elected Ethiopian Government.
In Nigeria, violence against Christians is ongoing. Since
December, there have been 10 mass kidnappings and repeated
attacks on churches and religious leaders. The week before last,
30 people were killed and 200 homes and four churches were
destroyed. What is the Church doing to bring that to global
leaders’ attention so that this appalling suffering can be
brought to an end?
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue. We sometimes need
to pause for a moment to take in the enormity of what is
happening. The Church of England continues to press the Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office to provide the financial and
technical assistance necessary to address these horrendous
violations of religious freedom. The Church is also working to
enable parliamentarians in Nigeria and elsewhere to hold to
account those who perpetuate such horrific violence. These
victims will not be forgotten by us.
Church Repairs: VAT
(Warwick and Leamington) (Lab)
What assessment the commissioners have made of the effect of the
charging of VAT on church repairs on the affordability of
undertaking those repairs.
The Second Church Estates Commissioner () [V]
The Church believes strongly that it does not make sense to put
value added tax on the repair and restoration of listed
buildings. While the Church is grateful that the Government have
extended the listed places of worship grant scheme to refund this
VAT for another year, we cannot continue with these short-term,
sticking-plaster measures. We need to put the maintenance of our
listed buildings on a sustainable basis.
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his response. I am sure he will be
aware that, in 2019, Historic England commissioned a report into
the economic value of and repairs to a sample of 30 churches and
discovered consequential costs of 26% to those projects.
Obviously, if VAT is charged, it can be claimed back under the
listed places of worship grant scheme, as he said. In two cases
in my constituency—St Mary’s church, Warwick, and All Saints
parish church in Leamington—that consequential cost could be up
to £750,000 for both. Does he agree that we should just be
scrapping VAT on these projects?
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that when regular
maintenance is not done, the final costs are much higher. We have
had other one-off grants in the past, such as the roof repair
fund, which we have been grateful for but which have not provided
a long-term solution. Having left the European Union, the
Government have gained new tax freedoms and could use them to
permanently reduce or, even better, zero-rate value added tax on
the repairs and restoration of listed buildings.
Anti-Racism Taskforce Recommendations
(Lewisham East) (Lab)
What recent steps the Church of England has taken to progress
implementation of the anti-racism taskforce recommendations.
The Second Church Estates Commissioner () [V]
The Church is hugely appreciative of the work of the archbishops’
anti-racism taskforce. It has already committed to implementing
34 of the taskforce’s 39 recommendations and is keeping the other
five under review.
[V]
The Second Church Estates Commissioner appreciates, as I do, the
importance of cultural change in the Church. Clergy from diverse
backgrounds must be supported and given equal opportunities, from
new ordinands settling in to those moving towards more senior
roles. What powers will the new commission led by have to hold
the Church to account as it enters the implementation stage?
As the hon. Lady says, in the autumn a new racial justice
commission will start work under the chairmanship of and with
as a member. I am
delighted to say that we have the highest number of
recommendations for stipendiary ordained ministry training in a
generation: almost 600, of which 10.9% are from minority ethnic
backgrounds—a 2% increase on the previous year. The Church is
making gradual but steady progress to make sure that its clergy
look like the nation it serves, and the racial justice commission
will certainly hold the Church to account on future progress.
