To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners whether the Church Commissioners have a policy on mobile phone masts (a) on church property and (b) inside church spires. (279560)

The decision to host mobile phone telecommunication equipment on a church spire is a matter for the relevant parochial church council. Any installation would be subject to the requisite secular and ecclesiastical permissions being obtained, following public consultation, and each case is decided on its own merits.

As for property owned by the Commissioners, standard form leases are offered to telecom operators for masts on properties in the Commissioners' rural portfolio.

In the rest of the Commissioners' portfolio there are only a very small number of masts and these installations are dealt with case by case.