Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of microplastics on artificial sports fields on the (a) respiratory health and (b) safety of children while playing sports.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Artificial Grass Pitches (AGPs) currently play a crucial role in getting more people active across the UK. They provide durable, safe, year-round playing surfaces which can sustain up to 80 hours of use per week - significantly more than grass pitches, helping more people to access the benefits of physical activity.

The Government is aware of potential impacts which AGPs have related to the spread of rubber crumb - which contains microplastics. While, currently, there is no clear alternative, DCMS continues to work closely with Defra and the wider sector to help identify a viable long-term solution, which can maximise opportunities to get active in the most healthy and sustainable way possible.

In 2017, the European Chemical Agency published findings from a study which found there is no reason to advise people against playing sports on synthetic turf containing recycled rubber granules as infill material. Further European-led research published in the scientific journal Science of the Total Environment in 2020 reported there were no health concerns for AGPs, and in 2024 the US Environmental Protection Agency published a report noting no significant difference in chemical exposure between players on artificial grass and those on natural grass fields.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, with reference to Questions 48 and 49 of the Questions to the General Synod on 10 February 2025, what assessment the Church Commissioners have made of the potential implications for their policies of the comments made by the Bishop of Salisbury that external authorities must approve the implementation timeline for Project Spire; and if the Church Commissioners will list those external authorities.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The Church Commissioners have had informal and constructive dialogue with the Charity Commission about how to implement the Church Commissioners’ response to their historic links to African chattel enslavement (known as “Project Spire”).

This informal engagement has now concluded, and subject to authorisation by trustees the Church Commissioners anticipate that they will make appropriate applications to the Charity Commission.

Project Spire’s implementation timeline depends on this external authority to the extent that the Charity Commission will determine how long it takes to come to a decision.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, when Project Spire discussions began between the Charity Commission and the Church Commissioners.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The Church Commissioners began discussions with the Charity Commission about Project Spire in February 2023.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what plans the Church Commissioners have for the release of public information on (a) the structure of the Project Spire fund and (b) its statutory authority.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The Church Commissioners have sought, and continue to seek, to keep the public informed about their research findings and their response to these findings through reports on their webpage, including a regularly updated Frequently Asked Questions section, stakeholder engagement sessions online and in-person, routinely answered correspondence, and published articles; including topics such as the structure of the proposed Fund of Healing, Repair and Justice – as that develops – and such statutory authority as the Church Commissioners may obtain

https://www.churchofengland.org/historic-links-to-enslavement

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, how much money has been spent on (a) research funding, (b) salaries and (c) legal advice for Project Spire.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The Annual Reports of the Church Commissioners’ contains information on fees relating to forensic accounting services provided to support a research project into the fund of Queen Anne’s Bounty, one of the Commissioners’ predecessor bodies. Information (2023, p.105; 2022, p.105; 2021, p.90) can be viewed here: https://www.churchofengland.org/about/governance/national-church-institutions/church-commissioners-england/who-we-are/publications

Further information will be included in the Church Commissioners’ Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, which will be published next month.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church Commissioners have (a) made or (b) have held discussions with the Charity Commission on making an application to authorise an ex-gratia payment under section 105 or 106 of the Charities Act 2011 in relation to Project Spire.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The Church Commissions have not made an application to the Charity Commission to seek authority for a payment under section 105 or 106 of the Charities Act 2011 in relation to Project Spire.

The Church Commissioners have held discussions with the Charity Commission about making an application to authorise an ex-gratia payment under section 106 of the Charities Act 2011 in relation to Project Spire.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church Commissioners plan to set up a new charity to administer Project Spire, in the context of the Bishop of Salisbury’s comments at the General Synod in February 2025.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

Subject to the decision of trustees and the approval of the Charity Commission, the Church Commissioners plan to set up a new charitable fund, which they propose to call the Fund for Healing, Repair and Justice, as part of the delivery of Project Spire.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, which grant-making powers the Church Commissioners plan to use in making grants under Project Spire.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

Subject to the approval of trustees, the Church Commissioners intend to make an application to authorise an ex-gratia payment under section 106 of the Charities Act 2011 on the basis of a moral obligation.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what statutory powers the Church Commissioners plan to use to facilitate Project Spire.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

Subject to the approval of trustees, the Church Commissioners intend to make an application to authorise an ex-gratia payment under section 106 of the Charities Act 2011 on the basis of a moral obligation.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether legal advice has been sought to confirm that the proposals for Project Spire are within the statutory powers of the Church Commissioners.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The Church Commissioners routinely take advice as they consider appropriate in the exercise of their functions where there may be legal implications.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, with reference to p.10 of the report entitled Church Commissioners' Research into Historic Links to Transatlantic Chattel Slavery, published on 1 January 2023, for what reason that report was not peer reviewed to an academic standard.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

Peer-reviewed publications are usually written for an academic audience. For instance, an academic journal will send a proposed article to anonymous peer reviewers. Likewise, an academic monograph proposal will be sent for peer review. Documents intended for a public audience go through a different process of internal review.

The report was initiated in 2019 via a query raised at the Church Commissioners’ Audit and Risk Committee. It is rooted in the Church Commissioners’ risk management and fiduciary duties as a 320-year-old in-perpetuity endowment fund and responsible investor. Accordingly, the analysis in the Church Commissioners’ report was underpinned out by independent professional accountants who deployed fundamental forensic techniques: detailed transactions analysis, account reconstruction and asset tracing. An overview of the work carried out by the independent accountants can be found here. The Church Commissioners also engaged independent, expert, professional historians as advisors in compiling its report.

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Found: _NC22 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam .