Education written statement – made at on 17 October 2013.
Michael Gove
The Secretary of State for Education
In line with normal practice I would like to inform the House that while in the summer recess, my Department provided an indemnity to the Church commissioners for England, in order to secure a lease arrangement on its site for CET primary school, Westminster, from September 2013 until
Such an indemnity would normally be notified in advance to Parliament but since the need was identified during recess, officials wrote to Margaret Hodge as Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, copied to my hon. Friend Mr Stuart as Chair of the Education Select Committee on
I inform the House today of the indemnity provided and a departmental minute, which sets out the detail of the indemnity, has been laid in both Houses.
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.
