Oral Answers to Questions

Michael Fabricant Excerpts

Thursday 28th April 2022 Commons Chamber

The hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners was asked—

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

10. What recent steps the Church of England has taken to support arts and culture; and if he will make a statement.

[The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Andrew Selous)]

The Church Commissioners, alongside the Cathedral Music Trust, supported cathedral choirs in 2020. Funding was also provided to support the heritage skills of stonemasons, glaziers and others. The culture recovery fund provided more than £60 million for 580 churches and cathedrals, and a partnership with the Wolfson Foundation, the Pilgrim Trust and the National Churches Trust has provided grants to pay for the care of historic interiors and collections.

[Michael Fabricant]

I am grateful for that answer. I do not always praise the Church of England, but I praise it for these initiatives. My hon. Friend will know what a beautiful city Lichfield is, as I hope you may find out soon, Mr Speaker—I will say no more on that. The cathedral is beautiful, too, and it is not only used for worship; it is also used for the wonderful Lichfield festival. May I invite my hon. Friend to come to the Lichfield festival to see and hear for himself what goes on in that beautiful cathedral?

[Mr Speaker]

I believe the Second Church Estates Commissioner will be put up in a house nearby, too.