The determinations of the Church Commissioners distributions are made in General Meetings. The dates of the relevant meetings are set out in the table below.

The allocation of funds available for distribution is made in a ‘money available resolution’ which is included in the Church Commissioners’ statutory annual report and accounts for each year. Copies of the annual report and supporting documents, which include the details of the total grant made to the Archbishops’ Council, are available in the UK Parliament Library and on the Church of England and Charity Commission websites

An analysis of the legal powers under which grants to the Archbishops’ Council were made up to the end of 2023 were provided in previous answers issued to the Hon Member for East Wiltshire, specifically written questions UIN 52344 and UIN 19811. Figures for 2024 and 2025 can be found in the annual certificates provided to the Church Commissioners by the Council which are available on the home page of the Archbishops’ Council’s website: 2024-certificate-signed.pdf and ^{AC(26)46_A6 2025 certificate signed.pdf}

Recent money available resolutions have analysed the planned expenditure into four categories: historical, transformational time-limited, core in-perpetuity distributions and strategic on-going additional distributions. The supporting papers prepared to aid the charity trustees in their decision making provides additional detail of how the funds are planned to be distributed across a range of expenditure categories all of which are in line with one or more of the powers under which the Church Commissioners are able to distribute funds.

Each year at one of its trustee meetings, the Church Commissioners consider the annual certificate provided by the Archbishops’ Council stating how the funds provided to the Council by the Commissioners have been distributed. This now covers funds provided under section 1 of the Miscellaneous Provisions Measure 2018 as well as under section 2(3) of the National Institutions Measure 1998. In addition to this, the Commissioners receive and discuss reports on specific areas such as safeguarding and the grants made to support parish mission and ministry.

The National Church Institutions recognise the importance of maintaining England’s historic church buildings across England such as the Grade I listed All Saints, Babbacombe and St John the Baptist, Paignton. Parish Churches are not only places of worship but also important community assets supporting heritage, culture and local wellbeing. Significant investment has been allocated by the Archbishops Council and Church Commissioners to support parishes, such as the Buildings for Mission programme. For this programme, the Church Commissioners invested £11million between 2023 and 2025 to provide grants to help churches undertake repairs, improve facilities and remain sustainable centres of worship and community activity

The programme funds 36 Church Buildings Support Officer posts across England, based in dioceses and partner organisations, providing practical advice on repairs, maintenance, fundraising and community engagement to help churches remain sustainable and mission-focused. The Church Commissioners run a Conservation Grants Programme, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and others, for the conservation of historic furnishings in Church of England churches. This funding helps to conserve nationally significant historic features such as stained glass, monuments and wall paintings

Other grant-based programmes complement the Buildings for Mission project with the aim to make the buildings more sustainable, efficient and easy to operate in the long term. The Net Zero Carbon Programme is one such programme, operating 2026-2028 the fund has a total of £40million to give grants to parishes alongside opportunities for match funding and larger grants for capital projects such as replacement heating schemes. The Net Zero Carbon Programme operates a Quick Wins Fund, which helps churches improve energy efficiency and reduce running costs. Where churches can no longer remain in parish use, the Church of England works closely with the Churches Conservation Trust to safeguard them for future generations

The Church Commissioners continue to work closely with other funding bodies at national and local levels, such as Historic England and local building support charities to support the ongoing repair and maintenance of church buildings and are in conversation with the Government about long-term strategic support.

The Church Commissioners’ property referred to in the question, from the Hon Member for York Outer, relates to the ongoing marketing for sale of approximately 1,600 acres of land at Scoreby, east of York. The Church Commissioners Property Team informed all affected farm tenants directly and in person. This followed a number of years of strategic discussions between the Commissioners' investment team, our tenants and our managing agents regarding the future of the estate and its long-term management.

The Church Commissioners have responded to all enquiries received in connection with the sale and continue to engage with farm tenants and their professional advisers regarding the progress of the marketing process and relevant estate management matters. The Commissioners also remain in contact with relevant industry bodies to maintain open lines of communication and as part of their ongoing stewardship responsibilities. The marketing process remains ongoing

It is not the Church Commissioners’ established practice to consult neighbouring landowners, community groups or other local stakeholders in advance of bringing property to the market. Decisions to sell property are taken in accordance with the Church Commissioners’ investment strategy and fiduciary responsibilities, which support the mission and ministry of the Church of England.

The Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion looks to support all victims of armed conflict, regardless of whether war crimes or crimes against humanity have been committed, through humanitarian support, pastoral care and advocacy work.

Support is primarily offered through its global mission agencies and development partners who help deliver essential aid, food, healthcare, education, shelter, and trauma-informed support to those affected by violence and displacement.

The Church also has observer status at the UN where it plays a role in peacebuilding and reconciliation programme and at a national and global level the Church and its bishops raise awareness of atrocities and the need for accountability.

The Church of England is committed to improving accessibility so that all who wish to attend churches, whether for worship or community activities, are able to do so.

Parishes may apply to the Parish Accessibility Fund for up to £50,000 or a Small Grant of up to £5,000 for project proposals to improve the accessibility features covering structural alterations such as the installation of an accessible toilet, step-free access and production of large print texts. More information on the Parish Accessibility Fund is available here: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/barrier-free-belonging/parish-accessibility-fund
The Diocese of Lichfield’s ‘Enabling All initiative’ offers support for its 540 churches including those in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire to become more accessible.

'Enabling All' offers web pages, online training, open drop-ins for individual questions, a church officer who can advise and an award scheme, all of which support churches to increase their accessibility. More information is available here: https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/inclusion/enabling-all/

The Church of England and the Anglican Communion continue to support the ministry of the Anglican Archbishop of Jerusalem and the Diocese of Jerusalem alongside the Anglican Mission agencies operating in the region who largely provide healthcare and education to all living in the local communities in the West Bank and Gaza. The Archbishop of Canterbury is currently on a pilgrimage to the region, where she is learning and witnessing the work of these agencies

The Bishops of Southwark, Gloucester, Norwich and Chelmsford continue to highlight their ongoing concerns about increased settler violence in the West Bank and called for an end to the use of roadblocks and movement restrictions. They have joined His Holiness the Pope and the local heads of Churches, who have called for the protection of innocent civilians, freedom of movement and freedom to worship. There remain considerable concerns in Gaza about the access to building materials and healthcare

More broadly the treatment of the Christian communities in the towns and villages in the south of Lebanon is also being closely monitored during the ongoing conflict where these communities are becoming cut off from their land, farms and homes as infrastructure, roads and the water supply around the city of Tyre are bombed, damaged and left beyond use. Damage is also being caused to cultural heritage, UNESCO sites and some of the oldest churches in the region which have been targeted. These concerns have also been shared with the UK Government as part of regular conversations between the Church and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and other relevant Departments of State.

The Church delivers community projects across the country to support individuals and families with the cost of living. Across the country churches are delivering around 31,000 community projects, including 8,000 food banks, 4,000 parent and carer groups and 3,000 community cafes.

In Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire, the Newcastle Foodbank operates a network of distribution centres hosted in local churches, such as Newcastle Congregational Church, operating under the Trussell Trust. Many local churches across the Diocese also operate as Warm Spaces to help vulnerable individuals and families save on their domestic energy bills. Through its Transforming Communities Together initiative and partnerships with organisations like the Church Urban Fund, the diocese supports practical courses (such as Money Talks and debt-relief guidance) to help individuals manage their finances. More information is available here: https://lichfield.anglican.org/transforming_communities/

The Presence & Engagement programme of the Church of England shapes how the church takes seriously all its relationships with other religious communities. It recognises that the most important level that this occurs at is locally through churches and chaplaincies. The parish church is fundamental to the ability of the Church of England to offer a unique and positive contribution to community cohesion

This programme encourages churches to become a visible and welcoming hub in the community, engaging with others to influence local changes for the common good. Each diocese is encouraged to have an Inter Faith Adviser who works closely with parishes and chaplains seeking ways to fulfil this role in an ever changing religious landscape

In addition, churches are encouraged to participate in the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion (CCC) National Conversation and to be host venues, especially in multi-religious areas, bringing people together from their local area to listen to a wide range of thoughts on the kind of country people want to help make

The Church of England has a lead bishop for inter faith relations, the Bishop of Willesden, the Rt Revd. Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy, he along with two national officers are ensuring that discussions are taking place at national and local level with the other religious and faith communities.

The relationship with the Roman Catholic Church is warm and one that has grown closer in recent decades, exemplified by the reciprocal attendance by both Archbishops at each other's Instillation in Westminster and Canterbury, followed by the pilgrimage to Rome of the Archbishop of Canterbury which included meetings and prayer with His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, reaffirming a shared commitment to Christian unity.

Within England the Church continues to engage regularly with the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales on areas of shared interest, while local clergy and parishes also work closely together with all denominations as part of Churches Together to support local ecumenical activity. Another example of the warm relations between the two communities can be found in the common witness during September 2025 where bishops and clergy of both Churches in Liverpool joined together for a service and pilgrimage walk between the two cathedrals. Dialogue between the two Churches also continues regularly through the meeting of the English and Welsh Anglican Roman Catholic dialogue group.

One of my constituents has written to me about Natalie Abu Dayyeh, a young Christian girl from Birzeit in the west bank who was seized at gunpoint by Israeli forces earlier this month. Her family do not know where she is being held—they do not even know whether she is alive and being treated well. This is a repeated pattern of behaviour: Layan Nasir, another Palestinian Christian, was treated in the same way last year. I have written to the relevant Minister at the Foreign Office, but can I also ask what representations the Church has made to advocate for Natalie’s release and for the protection of other Palestinian Christians facing detention?

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, how parishes can apply for the Places of Worship Renewal Fund.

The National Church Institutions are very conscious that the new places of worship fund is not available in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. My hon. Friend is correct to say that there has been a conscious decision by the Government to move away from the old VAT rebate scheme to a grants-based system, and he will know that that decision was not made by the Church. The Church has been supporting the Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office, as well as churches in Wales and other parts of the UK, and I would be happy to put my hon. Friend in touch with the team in Scotland if that would be helpful. I also urge him to do what all hon. Members should do when they want something to happen: to lobby the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the issue.

While the UK Labour Government introduced a £92 million fund for places of worship in England, the scheme does not apply to Scottish parishes now that it has gone from being a VAT rebate to a capital grant. The Scottish Government received the Barnett consequentials. However, no similar scheme was set up, despite the fact that they were told about the change by the UK Government as far back as January 2025. Will the Church Commissioners, with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, raise this matter with their Scottish counterparts as a matter of urgency to ensure that Scottish parishes have access to much-needed funding?

What a fantastic question. My hon. Friend champions the beautiful churches across his constituency, and he is absolutely right to highlight both their cultural importance and the opportunities provided by the places of worship renewal fund. I thank him for writing to all his churches to share details about the fund, and I encourage hon. Members across the House to do the same if they are able.

The National Church Institutions have actively encouraged all parishes to make full use of the new fund and share the details as widely as possible through their clergy network, church wardens and so on. I know that they are regularly in touch, through targeted advice, newsletters and engagement with diocesan officers, to make everybody aware of the new capital grant scheme.

There are 124 round-tower churches in Norfolk. In South Norfolk, we have St Peter’s church in Forncett and St Mary & St Walstan church in Bawburgh, to name just two. I have written to all my local churches to make them aware of the fund, but will my hon. Friend help to ensure that all rural churches are encouraged to apply?

The Church remains steadfast in its support for Palestinians. The relentless attacks on the Christian population in Palestine and the wider region by the Israeli Government are abhorrent. We have also seen Christian communities in Lebanon cut off, with Palestinian refugees being the main target there. We have seen settlement expansion again in the west bank, too, which we know is in breach of international law. The bishops in the other place have publicly highlighted their concerns by condemning the violence, and they have joined His Holiness the Pope and the local heads of Churches, who have called for the protection of all innocent civilians.

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to support Christians in Palestine.

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important issue. It is clear that the Israeli Government are breaching international law, and this must be called out. The attacks on Palestinian Christians, and indeed any Palestinians, are totally wrong, and we need them to stop. The Bishops of Southwark, Gloucester, Norwich and Chelmsford wrote a joint letter on 5 June to the Right Rev. Dr Imad Haddad, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, about the case of Natalie Abu Dayyeh. They were clear in their letter that Natalie’s detention is a violation of article 76 of the fourth Geneva convention. The bishops have renewed their call on the Government of Israel to immediately abolish their punitive practice of administrative detention, and to immediately release Natalie and all those who are presently being held. We all know that these are cruel measures, and as Christians, we must all speak out for the defenceless, the destitute and the voiceless. I will continue to do all I can in my capacity as both a Member of Parliament and the Second Church Estates Commissioner to ensure that the Church stands against the violence we have seen across the region for far too long.

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to ensure that churches are accessible for disabled people.