To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what estimate the Church Commissioners have made of the impact that the level of thefts from churches has had on the average cost of insurance premiums for churches over the last three years. (190054)

The Commissioners do not hold figures for church insurance premiums. We understand that the rates charged by Ecclesiastical, the leading insurer of Anglican churches, have until now been unaffected. The situation has recently become so serious, with the very substantial increase in metal thefts, that it is inevitable that premiums will be affected in the future.