Oral Answers to Questions — Church Commissioners – in the House of Commons at 10:30 am on 18 June 2009.
Ben Chapman
Labour, Wirral South
10:30,
18 June 2009
What steps the Church commissioners are taking to assist the Church during the economic downturn.
Stuart Bell
Second Church Estates Commissioner
Despite the economic downturn, the commissioners plan to maintain the level of their distributions in cash terms this year and into next year.
Ben Chapman
Labour, Wirral South
Will my hon. Friend assure me that when the commissioners look at expenditure in cash terms there will be a keen prioritisation and selection of expenditure categories, because that is going to be vital? Will the selection of those priorities will reflect the needs of the 21st century Church?
Stuart Bell
Second Church Estates Commissioner
I am grateful to my hon. Friend. Supporting the Church's ministry, particularly in areas of need and opportunity, is the priority that the Church sets itself. We want to spend our sums wisely. This summer we are holding a series of conferences with our beneficiaries, and that detailed engagement will help us to assess the priorities to which he refers; we then seek to help the growth of the Church.
Matters concerning the established Church of England are dealt with at Question Time by a parliamentary representative of the church commissioners.
The church commissioner's role is to answer any parliamentary questions relating to the Church of England in the same way that a government minister may face questions about a particular government department.
The Second Church Estates Commissioner is appointed by the crown and is traditionally a backbench member of the party in government. The appointment lasts for the duration of the Parliament.
