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Church Commissioners
04 March 2021
Lead MP
Kerry McCarthy
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
Standards & Ethics
Other Contributors: 3
At a Glance
Kerry McCarthy raised concerns about church commissioners in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
Asked what steps the Church of England is taking to increase public transparency of its landholdings and noted that a recent report from the Archbishop of Canterbury recommended mapping all of its land holdings by using the Good Steward Mapping Tool. Emphasised the importance of publishing digital maps in the interests of transparency.
Kerry McCarthy
Lab
Bristol East
Asked what steps the Church of England is taking to increase public transparency of its landholdings and noted that a recent report from the Archbishop of Canterbury recommended mapping all of its land holdings by using the Good Steward Mapping Tool. Emphasised the importance of publishing digital maps in the interests of transparency.
Responded that the Church Commissioners have been working through the process of registering their land holdings with the Land Registry, which can be searched publicly. Also mentioned a list of the 10 largest real estate holdings on page 81 of the Commissioners’ annual report.
Also stated that as part of the work of the Archbishop’s housing commission, the Church has commissioned a draft map of the land holdings of the Commissioners, dioceses and parishes, to improve planning and joined-up working between all parts of the Church. This is ongoing work currently being trialled by several dioceses.
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About House of Commons Debates
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