Oral Answers to Questions

Stuart Anderson Excerpts

Thursday 6th February 2020 Commons Chamber

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

[Stuart Anderson (Wolverhampton South West) (Con)]

5. What recent assessment the Commissioners have made of the effectiveness of the contribution of Church schools and universities to the education system in England.

[The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Andrew Selous)]

The Church of England educates 1 million children every day, runs a quarter of all primary schools and operates 4,644 schools in total, 91% of which are good or outstanding. There are also 15 universities in the Cathedrals Group in England, which educate 100,000 students and train 40% of all key stage 2 and 3 teachers.

[Stuart Anderson]

What help might the Church be able to give for the much-needed further education learning quarter in Wolverhampton?

[Andrew Selous]

I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this issue. The Church strongly supports investment in further education and the Wolverhampton education quarter is an imaginative proposal to benefit the city. While we are at a very early stage of possible Church involvement, I know that the diocesan director of education and senior local chaplains will be very willing to meet him to discuss the proposal.