Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Church Commissioners

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-07-07.

To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what facilities are available for (a) lactating mothers and (b) the changing of babies within churches in the Diocese of Blackburn (i) during church services and (ii) at other times.

Mrs Caroline Spelman

The Child Friendly Church Award, now achieved by well over 100 churches in the Diocese of Blackburn, places children at the centre of the worship & ministry of our parish churches. This ensures that mothers who wish to breastfeed will find a warm welcome and adequate provision in these churches. We are grateful to the honourable member for the interest he continues to take in the detailed domestic affairs of the parishes of the diocese. I would encourage him to take this up with the Bishop in his own diocese with regard to making progress at a local level.