Oral Answers to Questions

Michael Fabricant Excerpts

Thursday 20th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[David Rutley]

The hon. Lady has ruined a perfectly reasonable question by exaggerating. Of course we are preparing for every eventuality. As we have said already in these questions, a deal is the best outcome, and we all have a responsibility to help deliver that. We are preparing for all outcomes.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

So will my hon. Friend confirm that my constituents do not need to stock up with tins of Spam or apricots in syrup?

[David Rutley]

We are not going to endorse any particular brand, but it is important to note that we have a rich and diverse source of food, and that will continue when we leave the EU.

--- Later in debate ---

The right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked—

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

4. What estimate the Church of England has made of the contribution that cathedrals make to the local economy; and if she will make a statement.

[The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Dame Caroline Spelman)]

It is estimated that in 2017 there were more than 10 million tourist and leisure visitors to our cathedrals, including Westminster Abbey, generating some £125 million for their local economies. That is a 37% increase from 2004, the last time that that was measured.

[Michael Fabricant]

That is encouraging news; I know how Lichfield Cathedral benefits the local community.

Mr Speaker, you may be interested to learn that next year will be the 900th anniversary of the birth of Thomas à Becket and the 400th anniversary of the establishment of the American colony of the Pilgrim Fathers. To mark that, I believe there will be an initiative: the year of the cathedrals. Will my right hon. Friend say a little more about how that will stimulate local economies?

[Dame Caroline Spelman]

We had a meeting of the deans of cathedrals in Parliament this week, and the Dean of Lichfield, who is a fantastic champion for that cathedral, came up with an interesting proposal, through the Association of English Cathedrals, to introduce a pilgrimage passport. That would encourage people—not just from this country, but from abroad—to visit more of our cathedrals, obtaining a stamp at every one, and would indeed assist the overall economy.