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Church Commissioners
22 April 2021
Lead MP
Stephen Timms
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
Housing
Other Contributors: 4
At a Glance
Stephen Timms 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
The debate focuses on the future plans of the Church of England to collaborate with social housing providers, specifically addressing the issue of affordable homes. The Church Commissioners have secured planning permission for 3,820 new homes since 2015, with around 820 being affordable. Stephen Timms welcomed the archbishops’ housing commission report that aims to address the housing crisis and enquired about how the Church will work alongside social housing providers to provide desperately needed affordable housing.
Stephen Timms
Lab
East Ham
Asked for details on the Church's future plans to collaborate with social housing providers, particularly in east London.
Replied by sharing that since 2015, the Church Commissioners have secured planning permission for 3,820 new homes, of which 820 are affordable. He mentioned a bold vision from the archbishops’ housing commission report and assured that the Church will work on implementing these recommendations across England.
Kerry McCarthy
Lab
Bristol East
Asked about the plans for making publicly available a map of landholdings by the commissioners, dioceses and parishes. She expressed her interest in transparency to aid campaigners identify sites for rewilding, agroforestry, social housing and other public goods.
Stated that a process of mapping as much of the Church of England’s land is underway. He confirmed that the issue will be debated at the General Synod's July session, and the Church Commissioners are in close contact with the housing executive team to plan for future ownership and use of the map.
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About House of Commons Debates
House of Commons debates take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons. These debates cover a wide range of topics including government policy, legislation, and current affairs. MPs from all parties can participate, question ministers, and hold the government accountable for its decisions.