Oral Answers to Questions

Karl McCartney Excerpts

Thursday 26th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Selous]

I am sure that the whole House would want to extend their sympathies to the Keane family, and I am hopeful that change is on the way. The Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2020, which was recently passed by this House, provides for exemptions from and reductions in court fees in the ecclesiastical courts to be made in secondary legislation. The Fees Advisory Commission will be asked to consider these provisions and, following that, an Order in General Synod will be made next year and will be laid before Parliament.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

What steps the Church of England is taking to secure the long-term financial stability of the parish church network following the covid-19 outbreak.

[Andrew Selous]

The Church has provided £35 million of sustainability funding to help dioceses that have been the hardest hit financially as a result of the pandemic. This is focused on dioceses in lower income areas and with fewer historic resources. Advice has been given on encouraging joyful giving and tithing as the cornerstone of parish finances, both by direct debit and card readers, as well as traditional giving in the plate.

[Karl MᶜCartney [V]]

Good morning, Mr Speaker, and I look forward to seeing you later.

I thank my hon. Friend for his response on behalf of the Church Commissioners—[Inaudible]—it is pleasing to hear. We look forward to a quick return to daily and weekly services for primary worship as soon as we are able, but also to the collections taken at these services along with the extra-curricular activities in the annual calendar of parish churches to fundraise and generate income for churches and their parishioners, which we hope can be reinstated as soon as is practicable, too.

[Andrew Selous]

Public worship can start again from next Wednesday, but it may take a while for church hall income, fundraising events and visitor income to pick up. Twelve churches in the Lincoln diocese have received £1.8 million from the Government’s culture recovery fund, and Lincoln cathedral has received £1.2 million from that fund.

Oral Answers to Questions

Karl McCartney Excerpts

Thursday 15th October 2020 Commons Chamber

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

What recent discussions the Commissioners have had with Government Ministers on covid-19 attendance restrictions for baptisms, weddings and funerals.

[The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Andrew Selous)]

The Government have kept in constant touch with the Church of England, all denominations and all faiths throughout the pandemic. Dioceses, parishes and cathedrals are quickly notified of any changes to law or guidance.

[Karl MᶜCartney [V]]

I thank my hon. Friend for that answer, but how can we ensure that we do not put any further restrictions on baptisms, weddings and funerals? Does my hon. Friend agree that those ceremonies must be supported and that we cannot have another six months of cancellations?

[Andrew Selous]

I strongly agree with my hon. Friend. I am very pleased that baptisms, weddings and funerals can continue in some form in all three covid alert tiers. I am pleased that the Government recognise the huge significance of those services in people’s lives.

Oral Answers to Questions

Karl McCartney Excerpts

Thursday 18th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Rory Stewart]

I am very happy to discuss that matter in detail, but as the shadow Minister said—[Interruption.] “Say yes”, it is suggested from the Opposition Front Bench. As the shadow Minister has acknowledged, we need to tackle this issue in partnership with local authorities. The prime responsibility needs to reside there because the sources of the emissions are quite different from one local authority to another, and therefore the solutions will be different from one local authority to another.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

3. How many flood defence schemes are planned to begin construction under the Government’s six-year flood defence programme in 2015.

[The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Elizabeth Truss)]

One hundred and sixty-one schemes are due to start this financial year, as part of our £2.3 billion, six-year programme, which will protect an additional 300,000 properties by 2021. That represents a real-terms increase in flood investment.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

Will the Secretary of State join me in welcoming the work of the three internal drainage boards that affect my constituency, Witham first district IDB, Witham third district IDB and Upper Witham IDB? What steps will the Government take to ensure that the Environment Agency, which is lackadaisical in my local area, and other parties work together more effectively for the benefit of my constituents in Lincoln and the people of Lincolnshire?

[Elizabeth Truss]

Like my hon. Friend, I am a huge fan of internal drainage boards. We have some fantastic drainage boards in Norfolk and I have visited the internal drainage boards in Boston. I want internal drainage boards to work closely with the Environment Agency to continue to protect homes and farmland. I would like this model to be rolled out across the country.

Oral Answers to Questions

Karl McCartney Excerpts

Thursday 21st November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paterson]

I am grateful to the hon. Lady. We look at various regulations the whole time. We are studying that matter and we will make announcements in due course.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

T4. My right hon. Friend is no doubt aware that Lincolnshire produces a quarter of the nation’s food and does quite well in recycling waste, but with 15 million tonnes of food across the country going to waste annually, what steps is his Department taking to encourage the uptake of anaerobic digestion?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Dan Rogerson)]

Government financial support and action under our anaerobic digestion strategy and action plan is leading to growing uptake of AD. Since the strategy was published the number of plants has increased from 54 to more than 120 and a further 200 projects have planning permission.

Oral Answers to Questions

Karl McCartney Excerpts

Thursday 5th July 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Spelman]

To refer to an answer I gave earlier, it is clear that policy needs to be made on an evidence base. Therefore, the science advisory panel—an independent body of expert marine scientists—was established to support the four regional projects in selecting marine conservation zones. It offered the objective scientific advice that we need to make decisions.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

9. What steps her Department took to promote recycle week.

[The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mrs Caroline Spelman)]

Recycle week is delivered by the Waste and Resources Action Programme—WRAP—on behalf of the Government. This year, the focus was on plastic bottles. Some 40% of the UK’s local authorities took part, highlighting local recycling schemes. It was supported by both retailers and brands.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

Will my right hon. Friend join me in supporting the work of Lincolnshire waste partnership, under which the county’s latest recycling figures reached 53%? Will the Department seek to encourage one of my local authorities—City of Lincoln council—to raise its recycling rate from 46%?

[Mrs Spelman]

I certainly support the work of the Lincolnshire waste partnership, along with all other waste partnerships and local authorities. I urge all local authorities to continue that effort to reduce the volume of waste sent to landfill.