Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Project Spire

Thursday 16 April 2026 · 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 engages with the Charity Commission on a range of issues, and has held informal discussions with it on Project Spire.
  • The Church is currently preparing an application regarding Project Spire but has not yet submitted it.
  • The Church has not confirmed whether it will launch a new charity or disclosed a specific timeline for such an action.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Desmond Swayne Con New Forest West
Religion & Faith
Context

The Church of England has been involved in addressing its historical connections to slavery through a project called Project Spire. The question arises from ongoing dialogue between the Church and regulatory bodies regarding this initiative.

Question

What recent discussions has the Church had with the Charity Commission on Project Spire?

Answer from Marsha de Cordova

The Church engages with the Charity Commission on a range of issues, and the Church Commissioners have held informal discussions with it on Project Spire, which is the Church's response to address its historical connections to the transatlantic enslavement of Africans.

Answered
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Q2 Desmond Swayne Con New Forest West
Religion & Faith
Context

The Church is considering launching a new charity as part of its response to address historical connections to slavery through Project Spire. There has been some delay in this process, prompting further inquiry.

Question

Is the Church going to launch a new charity? If so, when, and why the delay?

Answer from Marsha de Cordova

I could refer the right hon. Member to the many answers I have given to written and oral questions on this issue. As I have said, the Church is having informal discussions with the Charity Commission, and it is currently preparing an application, but it has not yet been submitted.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific timeline for the charity launch and reasons for delay were not provided.

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