Question

To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment she made of the economic effect on churches and vicarages of the ban on house coal.

The economic effect on churches and vicarages of the ban on the use of house coal has been negligible.

Bishops’ see houses and vicarages have not used house coal for many years and the Church Commissioners are not aware of any churches that still use coal as a form of heating.

The Church of England supports the aim of the Government to improve air quality and public health; the Church has launched several initiatives to support this policy, which include planting more trees on its properties and encouraging churches to increase the biodiversity of their churchyards and green spaces.