House of Commons · General Debate
18 April 2024 · 5 other contributors
Opened by Edward Leigh Con Gainsborough
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Edward Leigh raised concerns about church commissioners in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.
Key points
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Edward Leigh raised concerns about the recent unlawful eviction by Israeli police within the premises of the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem. He emphasised that the Christian population in the old city has declined from 25% a century ago to just 1%, calling for the Church of England to support Christians in the old city and to condemn the violent activities of the settler movement.
Andrew Selous acknowledged Edward Leigh's concerns about the Armenian church, stating that the House of Commons has heard figures showing the pressures faced by churches in Jerusalem and the West Bank. He assured that the Church of England is clear on maintaining the historic settlement and status quo of Jerusalem.
Richard Fuller questioned whether the Church provides guidance to parishes regarding land sales where there is local opposition, highlighting a case in his constituency involving a church selling allotment land despite local resistance. He sought assurance that parishioners and communities have adequate guidance to combat pressures for such sales.
Responding to Richard Fuller's concerns, Andrew Selous noted the Church Commissioners' efforts to engage with affected parties during land sales but acknowledged the power imbalance in discussions. He suggested that parishioners could also speak directly to local bishops and highlighted charity law’s requirement for organisations to maximize asset value.
Bob Blackman queried about recent assessments of church schools' contributions in Harrow East constituency and across England, noting concerns over declining birth rates affecting school rolls. He sought action from the Church to enable young people, especially those recently arrived in Britain, to identify with a Church school.
Andrew Selous responded by highlighting that Church of England schools educate more than 1 million children across 4,700 schools. He cited St John’s School in Stanmore as an example, commending its high reading progress score despite serving a disadvantaged and multilingual community.