Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Cathedrals: Sustainable Incomes

Thursday 9 December 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Church Commissioners allocated 20 million to the cathedral sustainability fund.
  • Grants have been made for over 120 new posts in cathedrals to support financial stability.
  • 50 billion is the calculated contribution of English cathedrals to national wellbeing.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Michael Fabricant Con
Religion & Faith
Context

The Church Commissioners have been discussing methodologies to generate sustainable incomes for English cathedrals. The question arises from the need to ensure financial stability and long-term viability of these religious institutions.

Question

What discussions the Church Commissioners have had with the deans of English cathedres on methodologies to generate sustainable incomes.

Answer from Andrew Selous

The commissioners recently allocated £20 million to the cathedral sustainability fund, and grants have been made for more than 120 new posts in cathedrals to support fundraising, engagement and financial stability. Deans and staff from our 42 cathedrals also recently met to learn from each other and share best practice.

Answered
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Q2 Michael Fabricant Con
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The Treasury has reported that English cathedrals generate £50 billion annually for the economy. However, maintaining these heritage sites is expensive and requires ongoing financial support.

Question

My hon. Friend said earlier in answer to a previous question that according to the Treasury, £50 billion is generated for the economy by our lovely English cathedrals, including Lichfield cathedral. They cost several million pounds each year to maintain, so could he say a bit more about what regular funding can be provided?

Answer from Andrew Selous

£50 billion is the contribution to national wellbeing calculated through the Green Book methodology. Lichfield cathedral plays a vital role in the local community and economy, serving as a vaccination centre recently. While £29.4 million has been provided by the Government's culture recovery fund, £140 million is needed for repairs and maintenance over the next five years to keep cathedrals in good repair.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific regular funding mechanisms were not detailed.

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