Church Commissioners – in the House of Commons at on 15 June 2023.
Kevin Foster
Conservative, Torbay
What recent assessment the Church of England has made of the potential merits of recruiting additional ordained ministers into parish ministry in the diocese of Exeter.
Andrew Selous
The Second Church Estates Commissioner, The Second Church Estates Commissioner
I am delighted to tell my hon. Friend that, with financial assistance from the Church commissioners, the Diocese of Exeter has increased the number of new curates to tell more people the good news about Jesus. On
Kevin Foster
Conservative, Torbay
My hon. Friend will be aware that some of the diocese of Exeter’s most challenged parishes are in the Torbay deanery, where an ordained Minister can not only bring people into Christ’s flock but be a lynchpin for wider community work. Has the Church of England looked at the situation of deprived communities in Torquay and Paignton to see where an additional ordained minister may be able to bring real value to those communities?
Andrew Selous
The Second Church Estates Commissioner, The Second Church Estates Commissioner
I am very pleased to be able to tell my hon. Friend that Ordinand Kenny Wickens is soon to be the curate at Our Lady and All Saints, Torquay. I would also like to pass on my thanks to two inspirational priests in my hon. Friend’s Constituency, the Reverend Sam Leach from Saint Mags church in Torquay and the Reverend Matt Bray from the Bay Church in Paignton, for the work they do in running the Living Room café, and groups for children and young people across the Torbay constituency.
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.
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In a general election, each Constituency chooses an MP to represent them. MPs have a responsibility to represnt the views of the Constituency in the House of Commons. There are 650 Constituencies, and thus 650 MPs. A citizen of a Constituency is known as a Constituent
