Matthew Offord

No guidance has been issued by the National Church Institutions on the use of places of worship for silent discos.

The document “Supporting Asylum Seekers – Guidance for Church of England Clergy”, which has been publicly available on the Church of England website for around seven years, states that clergy should assess the faith of those claiming conversion to Christianity and should rely on evidence to do so. The guidance also refers to the need for discernment – to be “wise as serpents” – in recognising mixed motives and the potential for gaming the system.

The Church of England educates over one million children in its 4,700 schools. Church of England schools are committed to the flourishing of children and deliver a rounded education that remains in high demand with parents. In Hendon an excellent example is St Mary's and St John's, a large, successful and thriving all-through school which yielded outstanding GCSE results this summer; the highest they have been.

The Church of England is one of the leading providers for leadership development, through National Professional Qualifications. These qualifications, in partnership with His Majesty's Government, have provided vital investment in leadership and teacher development at a time when attracting people into teaching faces numerous challenges. The Government's commitment in this area is welcome because it is a key part of ensuring improved outcomes for children, especially those who are most vulnerable.

The Church's contribution and vision for how the whole system can flourish is set out in Our Hope for a Flourishing Schools System - Foundation For Educational Leadership. It explains that Church schools "ensure a careful balance of wisdom, knowledge and skills in their curriculum planning, enabling their students not only to excel in examinations but releasing wise young leaders and courageous advocates, inspired and equipped to shape their future society. They are beacons of hope for the communities they serve, frequently standing as the most significant institution in a local area."

Over the past two years the Church of England has been closely involved with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in supporting the work of His Majesty's Ambassadors and diplomats, as part of a structured programme of engagement between the Church’s global networks and the civil service, to increase awareness of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB).

The Church was represented at the Government conference in 2022 that highlighted the need for increased global action on FoRB and continues to support the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief. More information about the work of the International Panel can be found here: https://www.ippforb.com/about/

Bishops of the global Anglican Communion came together for the Lambeth Conference in 2022 and spent a day discussing issues of interfaith engagement, human dignity and freedom of religion and belief. At the Conference a range of calls were made, outlining priorities for the Church worldwide. The documents relating to Freedom of Religion and religious persecution can be found under the Inter-Faith, Christian Unity and Human Dignity sections here: https://www.lambethconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/The-Lambeth-Calls-English-2023.pdf(opens in a new tab)

The United Nations Security Council has recently adopted a resolution to produce an annual report on freedom of religion and belief. It was sponsored by the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, and the resolution was based on the former Bishop of Truro's review, commissioned by the UK Government. The Security Council adopted the proposal, which will see the UN Secretary General produce an oral report on FoRB-related threats to international peace and security.

I am only able to answer on behalf of the National Church Institutions of the Church of England, and cannot on behalf of the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem.

One of the significant contributions the Anglican Church makes as a global body is in the provision of healthcare. The Church of England is supporting the Diocese of Jerusalem’s request to launch a financial appeal to support the work of the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. More information is here: https://j-diocese.org/wordpress/2023/10/24/joint-gaza-appeal-letter-from-the-most-revds-hosam-naoum-and-justin-welby-the-anglican-archbishop-in-jerusalem-and-the-archbishop-of-canterbury/

Bishops in the House of Lords have committed to continuing to raise issues with His Majesty’s Government around the treatment of the Christian community in Israel, Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The Archbishop of Canterbury paid a pastoral visit to the Diocese of Jerusalem on the 19^th of October where he met with Christian and Jewish leaders in both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. He also met with families affected by the attacks on the 7^th October. More details of the visit can be found here: https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/news-and-statements/archbishop-canterbury-arrives-jerusalem-pastoral-visit-anglican-church#:~:text=The%20Archbishop%20of%20Canterbury%20has%20begun%20a%20pastoral,Archbishop%20in%20Jerusalem%2C%20the%20Most%20Revd%20Hosam%20Naoum.

Subsequently, the Archbishop spoke in a special debate in the House of Lords, and the House of Bishops released a joint statement, which can be read here: https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/house-bishops-oct-30-nov-1-2023

The Archbishop of Canterbury also addressed the conflict in his presidential address to the November meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England, which also included a pastoral message from the Archbishop of Jerusalem. You can read the presidential address here: https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/archbishops-presidential-address-synod The Archbishop of Jerusalem’s speech is available here: https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/archbishop-jerusalem-addresses-synod-call-ceasefire-and-plea-peace

The Cathedral and Church Buildings team of the National Church Institutions has been in touch with all Diocesan Advisory Committees to remind them of its security guidance, which is also available on the Church of England website here: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/security-and-crime-prevention

The guidance includes details of safes that are compliant with current standards. Advice on the locking of churches during the day has not changed despite the recent spate of burglaries. Historic England and Ecclesiastical Insurance advice is that existing security alarms be extended to include the church safe, or the room in which the safe is housed.

The Church Commissioners and Archbishops' Council have agreed to funding of £11 million for 2023-25 in support of Buildings for Mission, which includes £2m for places of worship maintenance/repairs, and funding for up to 20 support officers to work with communities on the care of their church buildings. This is alongside a one-off commitment of £190 million (over nine years) to support the whole Church, including its buildings, in the transition towards Net Zero 2030.

12,500 church buildings are listed, with 45% of all England's Grade I listed buildings being cathedrals and churches. The average annual cost for the maintenance and repairs to parish churches alone is estimated at £150 million, and the maintenance of our churches across the country is mostly financed by generous local donors and volunteers. Support and advice, including on available grants, is available from ChurchCare: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare

The Church remains grateful for the continuation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and the Culture Recovery Fund. Money invested in church buildings has positive benefits to the wider community: the 2021 House of Good report by the National Churches Trust (https://www.houseofgood.nationalchurchestrust.org/) found that "the annual social and economic value of church buildings to the UK is worth around £55 billion. This sum, calculated using the latest HM Treasury Green Book guidance, includes the contribution churches make to wellbeing and to local economies."

The Church is committed to engaging with the Government on the implementation of the recommendations of the 2017 Taylor Review into the sustainability of church buildings (The Taylor Review: Sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).

Acts of vandalism to church property cause distress and great inconvenience to clergy and volunteers who work hard to keep churches accessible and in good repair. For churches suffering anti-social behaviour, guidance is available here: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/anti-social-behaviour-churchyards
General advice given to parishes is that opening the building and increasing footfall into and around the Church can help.

Thefts of metal and architectural stone from church property are of additional concern, and although the number of incidents is low compared to the height of metal theft in 2017-18, the severity of the incidents indicates that this is now part of serious organised crime. Advice is available at https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/crime-and-security-prevention

The Church is grateful to the Home Office for its continued support to all places of worship threatened by hate crime through the protective security scheme.

Further advice is available from the Cathedrals and Church Buildings Department of the National Church Institutions: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare

During COP26, 95% of the largest developed country climate finance providers made new, forward-looking climate finance commitments, with many doubling or even quadrupling their support for developing countries to take climate action.We are now encouraging all climate finance providers to bring forward their Progress Update to the $100bn Delivery Plan, led by German and Canadian Ministers.

Earlier this year, alongside the incoming Egyptian Presidency of COP27 and the High-Level Champions, we announced a new independent High-Level Expert Group on scaling up investment and finance to deliver on climate ambition and development goals.

In the recently published International Development Strategy, the Government reiterated the Prime Minister’s promise to double our International Climate Finance (ICF) contribution to at least £11.6 billion between 2021-2026. This sustained commitment will ensure that UK ICF is focussed on driving rapid transformation and systemic shifts required to achieve the Paris Agreement goals and deliver on the Glasgow Climate Pact.

Following the South African Just Energy Transition Partnership announced at COP26, we confirmed at the recent G7 Leaders meeting, that we are working in partnership with four additional developing countries which want to accelerate their clean energy transitions.

Following my visit to South Africa in June, I have briefed Cabinet Colleagues on the Climate Action Implementation Committee about the progress we are making. During my visit I met with the South African Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Energy Transition and we made public the formal 6-Month Update to Leaders agreed by South Africa and the International Partners Group (IPG).

The COP26 Unit is working with FCDO and other Departments, international partners and the South African government to support the design of an Investment Plan against which the $8.5bn can be mobilised.

Last month I joined the Prime Minister in Kigali for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). In the communique text coming out of this meeting, leaders renewed their commitment under the Paris Agreement to keep the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and resolved to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius as outlined in the COP26 Glasgow Climate Pact. They also stressed the urgency of enhancing ambition and action in relation to mitigation, adaptation, and finance in this critical decade to address the gaps in the implementation of the goals of the Paris Agreement, and welcomed the substantive progress made at COP26.

Four Commonwealth countries have already come forward with new or strengthened NDCs since COP26: Australia, Gabon, Dominica, and Mozambique. We look forward to working with other member states to deliver on these commitments ahead of COP27.

At COP26 in Glasgow all 197 Parties agreed to the Glasgow Climate Pact to urgently keep 1.5°C alive and finalise the outstanding elements of the Paris Rulebook. Through our COP26 Presidency, we are committed to working with international partners to deliver the commitments made at COP26.

On Mitigation, the Glasgow Climate Pact requests parties to revisit and strengthen their 2030 targets in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as necessary to align with the Paris Agreement temperature goal by the end of 2022.

On Adaptation, we must demonstrate that sufficient progress is being made through the Glasgow Sharm El-Sheikh work programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation and on efforts to double climate finance for adaptation to developing countries by 2025.

On Finance, we will work on delivering the South Africa Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) announced at COP26 and continue discussions with potential future partners announced at this year's G7.

We will continue our ambition as an inclusive Presidency Year, collaborating across sectors and all parts of society to deliver effective climate action.

The June Intersessional on Climate Change brought together 5000 representatives across 180 parties to discuss issues relating to climate change ahead of COP27. Progress was made in many areas, including on the technical details of Carbon Markets (Article 6) following the direction set by COP26. Substantive policy discussions took place in forums created by the Glasgow Climate Pact, including workshops on the Glasgow Dialogue on Loss and Damage and the Global Goal on Adaptation, and Finance and Ocean dialogues. Parties and stakeholders also engaged positively in the first technical discussions under the Global Stocktake: the Paris Agreement’s ambition ratcheting mechanism.

More work remains to be done ahead of COP27 to drive practical action across all issues in line with the Glasgow Climate Pact and support reaching a successful outcome in Sharm El-Sheikh, and we are committed to delivering on this for the remainder of our COP Presidency.

I have had regular engagement with the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) throughout the UK’s COP26 Presidency.

I have held meetings with representatives from many countries, and also with representative groups for the regions, including the Caribbean and Pacific regions, such as CARICOM and the Pacific Island Forum.

Over 2021 and 2022, I have visited Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and Jamaica. In all countries, my climate change discussions were wide-ranging and covered global climate ambition and mitigation, the urgency of climate adaptation and issues around loss and damage, among many other topics.

In addition to this I will visit Fiji later this month, and will also meet with regional institution representatives, civil society groups and climate champions during my time there.

Regional Ambassadors for COP26, Fiona Clouder and Ken O’Flaherty, have also discussed a wide range of topics with SIDS and conducted several visits.

The UK is committed to ensuring the voices of all SIDS are heard in the run-up to COP27, in partnership with Egypt as COP27 Presidency holders.

Since COP26, there have been 16 NDC submissions. This represents progress but the Government continues to work closely with partner countries and organisations to drive climate ambition, and to urge all countries to revisit and strengthen their NDCs by the end of 2022 to close the ambition gap and keep 1.5C within reach.

To keep 1.5C within reach, we are engaging internationally to accelerate action on reducing agricultural carbon emissions while meeting the world’s growing need for food. At COP26 we held the Policy Dialogue on Accelerating Transition to Sustainable Agriculture bringing together 34 countries to catalyse efforts to deliver the global transformation in agriculture and land use by sharing their experiences and opportunities to deliver transformation through public policies and innovation. Following these discussions, we launched the Policy Action Agenda for Transition to Sustainable Food and Agriculture, endorsed by 16 countries, to set pathways and actions that countries can take to repurpose public policies and support to food and agriculture.

At COP27, it will be for Egypt to determine their agenda. In the lead up to this transition, we continue to work closely with Egypt as the incoming Presidency and meet regularly to discuss our priority work areas, this includes delivering on the commitments made in Glasgow and how they can be built upon for COP27.

Specific discussion on that issue has not taken place. Data are not kept on the nationality or migration status of those who seek Baptism. Baptism is a sacrament ordained by God and must always be open to anyone regardless of race, nationality or status, so long as they meet the requirements set out in Canon law.

At COP26, more than 140 world leaders whose countries contain over 90% of the world’s forests endorsed the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use, committing to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. This powerful coalition of governments, businesses, Indigenous Peoples and civil society committed to a step-change in global action on forests. The political commitment is backed by almost £14 billion ($19.2 billion) in public and private funding, including £1.5 billion from the UK, which will support action in developing countries, including restoring degraded land, tackling wildfires and advancing the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

As COP26 Presidency, we are working to encourage the innovation and commitment of everyone – people, business, countries, cities and regions – as we move the global economy to net zero emissions. This includes a wide range of energy companies.

The COP26 Presidency is working most closely with organisations that have strong climate credentials – that means companies which have committed to achieving net zero by 2050, have published a 5-10 year plan of action on how they will do this, and committed to Science Based Targets or joined the UN-backed Race to Zero.

Every country is responsible for choosing its own delegates and the UNFCCC was responsible for all accreditation to COP26.

Our key aims for COP26 were to keep alive the possibility of limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5°C (mitigation); help the world to adapt to protect communities and natural habitats (adaptation); to accelerate the delivery of resources needed to fund the transition (finance); to complete the Paris rulebook, and to work together to deliver a safe and inclusive COP (collaboration).

We have delivered against those goals. Over 90% of world GDP is now covered by net zero commitments and 153 countries put forward new 2030 emissions targets. COP26 boosted efforts to deal with climate impacts and 80 countries are now covered by either Adaptation Communications or National Adaptation Plans. COP26 mobilised billions towards delivering the $100 billion climate finance goal and will reach it by 2023 at the latest. Through the Glasgow Climate Pact we have finalised the Paris Rulebook, and secured amongst other things a route to ambition raising on NDCs, increased funding for adaptation, and progress on action to manage loss and damage. The goal of limiting temperature rises by the end of the century to 1.5°C is still within reach. But this is based on commitments made and relies on concerted and dedicated delivery by all countries.

At COP26, all parties agreed to phase down the use of coal. The Glasgow Climate Pact secured its specific mention for the first time ever. In addition, China and India have both made commitments to act on climate change, and have endorsed the Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda. At COP26, Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Johnson jointly launched the Green Grids Initiative – One Sun One World One Grid, with over 80 signatories. India also announced a new commitment to have 50% electricity capacity from renewable sources by 2030, and China has committed to peak their carbon emissions before 2030. On coal power, both China and India committed to end overseas coal financing in the run-up to COP26.

Our key aim was to keep alive the possibility of limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5°C, and we have delivered. But this is based on commitments made and relies on concerted and dedicated delivery by all countries.

The UK Presidency has also given significantly more focus to championing real world sectoral action than ever before and as a result has garnered significant commitments across high emitting sectors of coal, nature and land use, road transport, and methane, critical to achieving a 1.5 degree pathway.

Pledges, initiatives and funding announced in Glasgow have contributed to reducing the significant gap to achieving 1.5. The Glasgow Climate Pact requests Parties to revisit and strengthen the 2030 targets in their nationally determined contributions as necessary to align with the Paris Agreement temperature goal by the end of 2022, taking into account different national circumstances.

The UK Presidency did not invite Shell under the UK Delegation. As COP26 Presidency, we are working to encourage the innovation and commitment of everyone – people, business, countries, cities and regions – as we move the global economy to net zero emissions. This includes a wide range of energy companies.

The COP26 Presidency is working most closely with organisations that have strong climate credentials – that means companies who have committed to achieving net zero by 2050, have published a 5-10 year plan of action on how they will do this, and committed to Science Based Targets or joined the UN-backed Race to Zero.

Since 2008 a couple can marry in a Church of England church of any parish where either of them resides or is on the church electoral roll, or any parish where either was baptised, prepared for confirmation, or had formerly lived or worshipped. They also qualify if the parents of either of them have lived in the parish of that church, or have worshipped there, or the parents or grandparents of either of them were married there.

Being married in a church not only reflects the faith commitment of the couple but their connection to the communities to which they are linked, whether through present circumstances or family histories. This policy of ‘qualifying connections’ allows couples great flexibility in choosing their wedding venues while also maintaining those important community links.

There are many positive effects of attending a church in order to get married there and the website yourchurchwedding.org encourages couples to ‘just ask’ to find out how they can get married in church.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 23158 on 6 July 2021.

Accelerating the global energy transition from coal to clean power is a top priority of the UK COP26 Presidency. We are working with countries to expand the use of clean, renewable energy sources such as onshore and offshore wind. We launched the Energy Transition Council to bring together the political, financial and technical leaders of the global power sector to ensure that clean power is the most attractive option for new power generation for all countries. At the G7, members committed to achieving overwhelmingly decarbonised power systems in the 2030s. Wind generation will play an important role in delivering this in the UK, and internationally we are working closely with partners including the Global Wind Energy Council.

In July 2020, the government published a Long-Term Policy Statement which sets out our ambition to make the UK more resilient to future flood and coastal erosion risk. The Policy Statement includes five policies and over 40 supporting actions which will accelerate progress to better protect and better prepare the country against flooding and coastal erosion.

The government is investing a record £5.2 billion to build 2,000 new flood defences over the next 6 years which will better protect 336,000 properties from flooding and coastal erosion. Long-term investment decisions should follow an adaptive approach which takes account of climate and demographic change over time to enable decision makers to identify the best combination of resilience actions and the right time to act and invest.

We are also investing an additional £200 million to further explore actions that will improve the resilience of communities at risk of flooding and coastal change.

At COP26, adaptation and resilience will be a priority. We are calling on countries to agree and put in place delivery mechanisms for adaptation and loss and damage. As COP President Designate, I have engaged personally with over 50 countries. With donors, we have been clear that we must deliver for those that are at the front line of climate change and collectively honour the $100 billion commitment.

The UK Prime Minister launched an Adaptation Action Coalition (AAC) last month to mobilise action on adaptation and galvanize momentum ahead of COP26 and beyond and we want to encourage all parties to join. In partnership with the existing UNCAS Coalition, this will build on the Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience to transform political commitments into tangible action on the ground.

We aim to enable action to avert, minimise and address loss and damage through wider resilience building and a specific focus on preparedness and response to natural disasters. This includes: expanding early action financing, improving early warning systems and the capacity to act on the risks they identify, and increasing insurance and social protection coverage, including through the Risk Informed Early Action Partnership (REAP) and other disaster risk reduction initiatives such as InsuResilience.

We are additionally continuing to support the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Initiative for Effective Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR), which is an LDC-led, LDC-owned initiative to put in place the long term, locally responsive action that is needed to deliver a climate-resilient future.

At COP26, adaptation and resilience will be a priority. We are calling on countries to agree and put in place delivery mechanisms for adaptation and loss and damage. As COP President Designate, I have engaged personally with over 50 countries. With donors, we have been clear that we must deliver for those that are at the front line of climate change and collectively honour the $100 billion commitment.

The UK Prime Minister launched an Adaptation Action Coalition (AAC) last month to mobilise action on adaptation and galvanize momentum ahead of COP26 and beyond and we want to encourage all parties to join. In partnership with the existing UNCAS Coalition, this will build on the Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience to transform political commitments into tangible action on the ground.

We aim to enable action to avert, minimise and address loss and damage through wider resilience building and a specific focus on preparedness and response to natural disasters. This includes: expanding early action financing, improving early warning systems and the capacity to act on the risks they identify, and increasing insurance and social protection coverage, including through the Risk Informed Early Action Partnership (REAP) and other disaster risk reduction initiatives such as InsuResilience.

We are additionally continuing to support the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Initiative for Effective Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR), which is an LDC-led, LDC-owned initiative to put in place the long term, locally responsive action that is needed to deliver a climate-resilient future.

At COP26, adaptation and resilience will be a priority. We are calling on countries to agree and put in place delivery mechanisms for adaptation and loss and damage. As COP President Designate, I have engaged personally with over 50 countries. With donors, we have been clear that we must deliver for those that are at the front line of climate change and collectively honour the $100 billion commitment.

The UK Prime Minister launched an Adaptation Action Coalition (AAC) last month to mobilise action on adaptation and galvanize momentum ahead of COP26 and beyond and we want to encourage all parties to join. In partnership with the existing UNCAS Coalition, this will build on the Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience to transform political commitments into tangible action on the ground.

We aim to enable action to avert, minimise and address loss and damage through wider resilience building and a specific focus on preparedness and response to natural disasters. This includes: expanding early action financing, improving early warning systems and the capacity to act on the risks they identify, and increasing insurance and social protection coverage, including through the Risk Informed Early Action Partnership (REAP) and other disaster risk reduction initiatives such as InsuResilience.

We are additionally continuing to support the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Initiative for Effective Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR), which is an LDC-led, LDC-owned initiative to put in place the long term, locally responsive action that is needed to deliver a climate-resilient future.

Numbers on departmental staff attending COP26 are to be determined in due course.

There is no central policy on charging for entry at Church of England churches and cathedrals. It is for the cathedral chapters and church incumbents to decide how best to meet their financial obligations, such as running costs and repairs, and in the case of the most popular, to manage their visitor numbers.

However, only nine out of the 42 Church of England cathedrals, and very few churches, charge for entry. All churches and cathedrals which charge for entry give free access to those attending services and for private prayer, and some give free entry on Sundays and at other times. Many also run a full programme of outreach, education programmes and events for children and families which are accessible at little or no cost.

‘Champing’, or overnight camping in a church, is a new form of holiday pioneered by the Churches Conservation Trust. It currently uses only closed churches, 12 of which across the UK are available for visitors to stay the night in, between April and September. The Church of England is however working in partnership with the Churches Conservation Trust to bring the Champing model into operation for open churches, to offer high end accommodation that enables congregations to generate income, whilst also maintaining space for worship and community use.

The Church of England has developed a model for a high quality and revisable timber structure, which can be placed in open churches to provide a lettable insulated space, which in turn can generate income needed to maintain the building, thereby releasing money for mission. Designed to support rural parishes this model is being piloted in the Diocese of Hereford thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and AllChurches Trust. More information is at: http://www.champing.co.uk/

Bat roosting remains a significant and costly issue for around 100 churches, where large roosts mean constant cleaning, damage to significant artefacts and delays to repair work, all of which reduce the use of the building by the congregation and community. Our experience is that bat boxes are not always the best solution, since there is no guarantee that the bats will use them.

The Church of England has recently secured Heritage Lottery funding as part of a partnership led by Natural England for a project to mitigate the impact of bats in churches. This work will include looking at ways that bats can be moved to more suitable locations when the roost has an adverse effect on the congregation. More details of the project can be found at: http://www.batsandchurches.org.uk/

On 16 September 2015 the Department published details of an interim policy in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling of 29 July 2015 (on the application of Tigere) (Appellant) v Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (respondent) 2015 UKSC57.

We intend to consult shortly on amending the relevant Regulations.

This government is committed to closing the gender pay gap in a generation by addressing the underlying causes of the gender pay gap, including the gender bonus gap. Our consultation on Closing the Gender Pay Gap closed on 6 September, and received nearly 700 responses. Over 200 employers and business organisations responded, including the CBI, whose members employ around a third of the private sector workforce. We have announced that this will apply to large employers and to large public bodies. We will be working with employers on how this will be implemented as they will be required to publish information showing the differences in pay between men and women.

DECC has not published any such guidance. Quality and standards for solar PV are administered by the Micro-generation Certification Scheme (MCS) which certifies installers under the MCS Certificate and Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC).

The UK’s objectives for the 21^st meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are to secure an ambitious and legally binding agreement that includes mitigation commitments from all countries to help reduce emissions globally, consistent with a path towards the 2°C goal. Further, the UK wants the Agreement to recognise the role public finance, private sector investment and alternative sources of finance can play in ensuring greater investment in green technology.

This information is not held centrally. Higher education institutions are independent and autonomous bodies and as part of their legal duties are responsible for ensuring that students do not face racism or harassment.

We have taken unprecedented step to bring transparency to late payment, and I can tell the House I have written to all signatories to the Prompt Payment Code to set out the new requirements of a 30 day payment term as the norm, with a 60 day maximum. And we have legislated to require 30 day payment terms to be mandated down entire supply chains for public sector work.

The estimated number of new business start-ups in a) England, b) London and c) Hendon constituency since January 2010, is shown in the table below:

Source: BankSearch: number of new business bank accounts opened. All figures rounded to the nearest 10.

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular meetings with the Secretary of State for Education on a variety of topics.

We have made a number of studies of UK tidal potential. The 2010’s Severn Tidal Power feasibility study [1] assessed the potential for 5 generic projects.

The 2012’s Crown Estate UK Wave and Tidal Key Resource Areas [2] study assessed the UK’s theoretical resource for tidal stream, barrage and lagoon resource at 95 TWh/year (32 GW), 96 TWh/year (45 GW) and 25 TWh/year (14 GW) respectively.

The Technology Innovation Needs Assessment [3] (TINA) published in 2012 estimated that tidal stream energy could practically deliver 20-30 TWh/year around 2050.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/1-severn-tidal-power-feasibility-study-conclusions-and-summary-report

2] http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/media/5476/uk-wave-and-tidal-key-resource-areas-project.pdf

[3] http://www.lowcarboninnovation.co.uk/working_together/technology_focus_areas/marine/.