The Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Arms-Length body the Churches Conservation Trust is the national charity that saves redundant historic churches at risk, and has a portfolio of over 350 churches that have been kept open and now used to serve the local communities. These are now enjoyed as cultural, social, tourism and educational resources with over 4000 community, arts and educational events taking place within them per year.

Additionally, redundant churches may be eligible for wider DCMS Heritage funding to support their use by the community. In February my Department announced new funding worth almost £20 million for 2025/26. The Heritage at Risk fund will restore local heritage and is targeted towards areas of higher deprivation. The Heritage Revival Fund empowers local people to take control of and look after their local heritage, supporting community organisations to own neglected heritage buildings and bring them back into good use.

The Church of England law around church buildings is complex, but there are two main types; a consecrated church building where the bishop has performed a rite of consecration, setting the church building (and font and altar) aside for public worship, and a place of worship that has been licensed for that purpose by the bishop (not consecrated).

The Church of England does not have a rite of "deconsecration" as such – it is more usual to refer to the 'closure' of a church that is consecrated. The process of closure is a legal one, set out in the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 and its predecessor legislation. The bishop's consecration of a church building for worship cannot be removed. However, the legal effects of consecration can be withdrawn in order to allow the disposal of the building and a new use to be found for the building.

Since 1994 there have been around 650 closure schemes for consecrated church buildings brought forward under the Mission and Pastoral Measure. In some of those cases, the closed church building will have been sold to other Christian denominations for worship use, and in some cases some occasional worship continues, even if the closed church building is being used for community activities, for example.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold the data requested.

The consultation period concerning the draft Pastoral (Church Buildings Disposal) Scheme for the demolition of St Elisabeth’s Church at Eastbourne ran from the 17^th November until the 8^th of January. The publication of the consultation followed a period of extensive liaison by the Church Commissioners with various interested parties in the future of the closed church. The building has been closed for regular public worship since 2002.

With regard to the future of the murals by Hans Feibusch, the draft Scheme provides for further time (until 1 September 2018) for potential recipients of the murals to produce a viable proposal for their relocation. This period had already been extended and the Church Commissioners remain open to discussions with any interested party in resolving their future.

With regards to open churches the number of churches in the Blackburn Diocese which have suffered from metal theft can be found on the chart below. The chart shows the volume of claims have dropped dramatically since 2011 when the Scrap Metal Dealers Act was enforced there are still a small number of persistent gangs operating across the country who continue to damage and vandalise these local community assets. The total number of thefts does not tell the whole story as the cost to the individual parish which has suffered the damage is often considerable to repair, replace and take preventative steps against future thefts.

The Churches listed below have registered 50 thefts in the specified period and are the worst effected, in addition to the list below 49 other churches have registered 77 claims in this period.

Listed

1 Lytham St Cuthbert – Grade 11

2 Colne St Bartholomew – Grade1

3 Chorley St George – Grade 11*

4 Chorley St Peter – Grade 11

5 Charnock Richard Christ Church – Grade 11

6 Cockerham St Michael – Grade 11*

7 Hoole St Michael – Grade 11*

8 Bamber Bridge St Saviour – Grade 11

9 Grimsargh St Michael – Grade 11

10 Walton-le-Dale St Leonard – Grade 11*

11 Church Kirk St James – Grade 11*

12 Accrington St John Grade 11

13 Over Kellet St Cuthbert Grade 11*

14 Leyland St James Grade 11

15 Mellor St Mary Grade II

16 Douglas in Parbold Christ Church Grade 11

17 Kirkham St Michael Grade 11*

18 Woodplumpton St Anne – Grade11*

19 Chorley St Laurence – Grade 11 *

20 Bolton le Sands Holy Trinity – Grade11*

Unlisted

21 Blackburn St Luke with St Philip

22 Layton St Mark

23 Thornton le Fylde Christ Church

24 Fleetwood St Nicholas

25 Little Thornton St John

Closed churches are the responsibility for the care and maintenance of a closed church rests with the Diocesan Board of Finance during the time that a use is being sought following closure. There are currently very few closed churches in the Diocese of Blackburn and we are not aware that there has been lead roof theft from any closed church in Blackburn Diocese in the years from 2012. We are aware of one earlier theft of lead from the roof of a former church building in the Great Harwood area of Accrington. This building has since been demolished and the site sold for residential development.

With regards to open churches the number of churches in the Blackburn Diocese which have suffered from metal theft can be found on the chart below. The chart shows the volume of claims have dropped dramatically since 2011 when the Scrap Metal Dealers Act was enforced there are still a small number of persistent gangs operating across the country who continue to damage and vandalise these local community assets. The total number of thefts does not tell the whole story as the cost to the individual parish which has suffered the damage is often considerable to repair, replace and take preventative steps against future thefts.

The Churches listed below have registered 50 thefts in the specified period and are the worst effected, in addition to the list below 49 other churches have registered 77 claims in this period.

Listed

1 Lytham St Cuthbert – Grade 11

2 Colne St Bartholomew – Grade1

3 Chorley St George – Grade 11*

4 Chorley St Peter – Grade 11

5 Charnock Richard Christ Church – Grade 11

6 Cockerham St Michael – Grade 11*

7 Hoole St Michael – Grade 11*

8 Bamber Bridge St Saviour – Grade 11

9 Grimsargh St Michael – Grade 11

10 Walton-le-Dale St Leonard – Grade 11*

11 Church Kirk St James – Grade 11*

12 Accrington St John Grade 11

13 Over Kellet St Cuthbert Grade 11*

14 Leyland St James Grade 11

15 Mellor St Mary Grade II

16 Douglas in Parbold Christ Church Grade 11

17 Kirkham St Michael Grade 11*

18 Woodplumpton St Anne – Grade11*

19 Chorley St Laurence – Grade 11 *

20 Bolton le Sands Holy Trinity – Grade11*

Unlisted

21 Blackburn St Luke with St Philip

22 Layton St Mark

23 Thornton le Fylde Christ Church

24 Fleetwood St Nicholas

25 Little Thornton St John

Closed churches are the responsibility for the care and maintenance of a closed church rests with the Diocesan Board of Finance during the time that a use is being sought following closure. There are currently very few closed churches in the Diocese of Blackburn and we are not aware that there has been lead roof theft from any closed church in Blackburn Diocese in the years from 2012. We are aware of one earlier theft of lead from the roof of a former church building in the Great Harwood area of Accrington. This building has since been demolished and the site sold for residential development.

Under the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011, the Church Commissioners are responsible for settling the future of closed church buildings. For

most, we are able to secure suitable alternative uses in partnership with a local diocese, but I should stress that the Church of England is not in the business of closing churches unless absolutely necessary.

What has happened at St Philip’s in Nelson is outstanding. I pay tribute to all who have made it happen. St Philip’s now homes a Sure Start project, a drug rehabilitation project and an Early Break project. I hope that churches and church buildings can always be at the centre of the community for wider community use.

Although I hope that churches will always remain principally used for worship, it was great to visit the grassroots family centre at St Philip’s church in Nelson recently and see the job club IT courses and other programmes now being run from the building by the Blackburn diocese. That stands in stark contrast to St Mary’s in the same town, for which the Church Commissioners have not had responsibility for over 20 years and which has remained boarded up since it was deconsecrated back in 1987. Does my hon. Friend agree that the St Philip’s family centre is a great example of an alternative use for a church building?

I have sufficient difficulties sorting out the problems of the Church of England. I do not have responsibility for how other denominations open or close their churches. That will be, if anything, a matter for the local planning authority.

It is also important to prevent churches used by other denominations from closing. Will the hon. Gentleman look at the situation facing St John’s, an historic building in Burslem? A different denomination wishes to continue worshipping there, but urgent action is needed to ensure that all the community groups can continue to use the church as well.

The Church of England operates some 16,000 churches and places of worship across the country which are in regular use. During the period specified the Church of England has taken the decision to close the following number of churches for regular public worship under the Mission and Pastoral Measure each year since 2007:

These figures include six schemes during the specified period which provided for replacement places of worship.

More information about closed churches can be found on page 16 of the Church Commissioners Annual Report 2012 a copy of which will be placed in the Library.