Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the cost of the new prison at Gartree in Leicestershire.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The value of the main works for the new prison next to HMP Gartree is planned to be published later this year.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, for what reason the Church Commissioners have spent £5 million on Project Spire prior to approval from the Charity Commission.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The Church Commissioners has not spent that sum in connection with its response to historic links to African chattel enslavement (known by the project name Spire). Expenditure on this work to date has been limited to proportionate research into the Church Commissioners’ source of funds and consideration of its response to that history, with a view to maintaining public trust in the charity; and in connection with proper steps to explore regulatory authorisation by the Charity Commission.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what the source of the £100 million fund for healing, repair and justice as part of Project Spire is.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

I refer the Hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston to the written answer to his question published on 21st March 2025 (UIN 29047). Subject to Charity Commission authorisation the Church Commissioners intends to settle income from its general fund on a new charitable fund through which the Church Commissioners intends to deliver Project Spire.

Found: Paul Lee Anderson Dr Andrew Murrison Paulette Hamilton Rachael Maskell Mr Angus MacDonald Neil O'Brien