On 3rd July 2023, the House of Lords debated the Illegal Migration Bill in the second day of the report stage. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:
Votes: Illegal Migration Bill
Tag: LGBT
Illegal Migration Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports amendment preventing removal of LGBT+ people to countries where they might face persecution
The Bishop of Manchester spoke in support of amendment 37 to the Illegal Migration Bill, tabled by Lord Etherton, on 28th June 2023. The amendment would prevent the removal of LGBT people to third countries where they might be persecuted:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, we cannot countenance a situation in which people who sought asylum here because of a well-founded fear of persecution in their country of origin are then removed to a third country where they may face a similar, or even greater, level of risk. For that reason, I join others in supporting Amendment 37.
It was my privilege earlier this year to be invited to attend a reception on the Parliamentary Estate, where I met a group of LGBTQI+ women who had sought and gained asylum in this country. Their stories were harrowing. By contrast, their efforts to rebuild their lives here in Britain were inspirational.
Continue reading “Illegal Migration Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports amendment preventing removal of LGBT+ people to countries where they might face persecution”Illegal Migration Bill: Bishop of Durham supports amendments to ensure high standard of “safe” countries
On 5th June 2023, the House of Lords debated amendments to the Illegal Migration Bill on the second day of the committee stage. The Bishop of Durham spoke in support of amendments to the bill tabled by Baroness Hamwee, Lord Carlile of Berriew, and Lord Alton of Liverpool that would ensure that, when removing migrants to “safe” countries, the country in question meets high definitions of safety:
The Lord Bishop of Durham: I apologise that I was unable to be present on day one of Committee and I arrived today rather later than I had planned, so was unable to speak earlier. However, I am grateful to my noble friend the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Coventry for so doing.
Continue reading “Illegal Migration Bill: Bishop of Durham supports amendments to ensure high standard of “safe” countries”Church Commissioners Written Answers: LGBTQ+ People
Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP on 22nd February 2023:
Elliot Colburn MP (Con): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, in the context of the Church of England’s Living in Love and Faith process and the forthcoming General Synod, what assessment the Commissioners have made of the potential impact of the Church of England’s exemptions from the Equality Act 2010 on LGBT+ people.
Andrew Selous MP (Con): The National Church Institutions have made no such assessment. The exceptions in the Equality Act are for all religious organisations rather than for the Church of England specifically. It is unlikely that any of the exceptions will be engaged by Living in Love and Faith and therefore no assessment has been carried out.
Second Estates Commissioner to Synod – not the job of Parliament to decide Church of England doctrine
On 8th February 2023 the Church of England General Synod debated a motion on same-sex marriage and the response of the College of Bishops to the Church’s Living in Love and Faith process. The Second Church Estates Commissioner addressed the Synod:
Andrew Selous MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner. Ex-officio 458:
I was called to answer an urgent question on this issue in the House of Commons on 24th January. I was amused to be told the urgent question would not be repeated in the House of Lords because there was apparently no one to speak for the Church of England in the House of Lords !
I pledged to make MPs views known to Synod. Of the twelve who spoke that day, eight expressed a hope that the Synod would change doctrine to enable same-sex couples to be married by the Church. There were deep and heartfelt stories from a number of MPs of the personal sense of hurt they felt at what they considered to be ongoing discrimination against LGBT+ people.
Others have contacted me in private, for fear of retribution, to support traditional doctrine and several said that it is for Synod, not for Parliament, to reach its own prayerful decision on this issue. Copies of the Hansard extract are available at the administration desk.
Continue reading “Second Estates Commissioner to Synod – not the job of Parliament to decide Church of England doctrine”Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church Buildings, Heritage Protection, LGBT+ People, Religious Freedom, Funding for Rural Churches, and the Coronation of King Charles III
Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs on 31st January 2023:
Ben Bradshaw MP (Lab): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what the cost of legal support provided by (a) dioceses and (b) the Church Commissioners to incumbents and PCCs of parishes affected by pastoral reorganisation making a representation at an oral hearing of the Mission, Pastoral and Church Property Committee was in each of the last five years.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church Buildings, Heritage Protection, LGBT+ People, Religious Freedom, Funding for Rural Churches, and the Coronation of King Charles III”Church Commissioner Questions: Church Attendance, Sustainable Maintenance, Historic Involvement with Slavery, Lichfield Cathedral, and Blessings for Same-sex Couples
On 26th January 2023, MPs put questions in the House of Commons to the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP:
Parish Churches: Family Attendance
Kevin Foster MP (Torbay, Con), asked:
- What recent steps the Church of England has taken to encourage families to attend events at parish churches.
Andrew Selous MP: There are Church of England churches that provide breakfast and lunch clubs, as well as youth, children’s and toddler activities, including messy church and much more besides. A vibrant children’s and youth ministry is often a key component of church growth.
Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions: Church Attendance, Sustainable Maintenance, Historic Involvement with Slavery, Lichfield Cathedral, and Blessings for Same-sex Couples”Church Commissioners Written Answers: Church Land, Environment, Persecuted Christians (Africa and China), Women in Ministry, Equality, Energy
Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs on 1st December 2022:
Jim Shannon MP (DUP): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church is taking steps to plant more trees on its land in rural areas.
Andrew Selous MP (Con): During 2021 the Church Commissioners planted approximately 2 million trees across their land holdings. In 2021 the Commissioners also purchased land in Wales with the intention of establishing a new woodland of c.85,000 new trees (subject to the grant of planting permissions).
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Answers: Church Land, Environment, Persecuted Christians (Africa and China), Women in Ministry, Equality, Energy”Church Commissioner Questions: public worship, tree planting, Christmas services, gender-based violence, Living in Love and Faith, cathedral services, Christian persecution, community support, consistory court appeals
On 26th November MPs put questions to the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, on public worship, tree planting, Christmas services, gender-based violence, Living in Love and Faith, cathedral services, Christian persecution, community support and consistory court appeals. A transcript is below:
Church Commissioners
The hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners was asked—
Covid-19 Lockdown: Public Worship
Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con): What representations the Church of England has made to the Government on the importance of public worship during periods of covid-19 lockdown. [909344] Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions: public worship, tree planting, Christmas services, gender-based violence, Living in Love and Faith, cathedral services, Christian persecution, community support, consistory court appeals”
Church Commissioner Questions: LGBT+ equality, civil partnerships, church buildings, church schools and universities, HS2, Christians in Nigeria
On 6th February 2020 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, answered questions from MPs in the House of Commons, on behalf of the Church Commissioners.
Questions were asked about LGBT+ equality, civil partnerships, church buildings, church schools and universities, HS2, and Christians in Nigeria.
The Church of England in Parliament 
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