§ Mr. RoweTo ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Commissioners are taking to encourage the Church of England to support local schools participating in the JC2000 Millennium Arts Festival for Schools. [57476]
§ Mr. Stuart BellAlthough not a matter for the Commissioners, I understand from the Church of England Board of Education that a quarter of the Schools in England, many of them Church schools, have already indicated an interest in the JC2000 Millennium Arts Festival for Schools. The Church of England is actively involved, through its network of Diocesan Directors of Education, in the support of 5,000 Church of England schools in England, and many other schools have connections with their parish Church. The Board of Education expresses its support for this exciting and imaginative millennium project.