On 9th March 2023 MPs put questions to the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, during his monthly question time in the House of Commons.
Church Commissioner Questions: families, marriage, Lichfield, Nigeria
Tag: Nigeria
Bishop of Guildford asks about tensions in Nigeria
The Bishop of Guildford asked a question about Nigeria on 5th July 2022:
The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, I add my congratulations to the noble Lord, Lord Ahmad, for an excellent start to the FoRB conference down the road. In the spirit of that conference and this terrifying escalation in communal and religious tensions in Nigeria in the build-up to the 2023 elections, will the UK use its seat at the UN Security Council to seek a resolution that significantly enhances the security given to communities in Nigeria at risk of attack, including Christian farms and villages in the middle belt that have already been attacked by Fulani militia?
Continue reading “Bishop of Guildford asks about tensions in Nigeria”Bishop of Guildford asks about freedom of religion in the Commonwealth
The Bishop of Guildford asked the following question on 28th June 2022, during a debate on the Commonwealth:
The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, as the Minister knows extremely well, this week marks a brief lull between the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda last week and the International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief in London next week. Given the overlap between those two conferences, what progress has been made on this basic human right, not least given that three of the Commonwealth nations—India, Pakistan and Nigeria—are among the worst when it comes to protecting the rights, and even the lives, of Christians and those of other faiths and beliefs?
Continue reading “Bishop of Guildford asks about freedom of religion in the Commonwealth”Bishop of Leeds asks about killings of church worshippers in Nigeria
On 6th June 2022, the Bishop of Leeds asked a question on the recent killing of church worshippers in Nigeria:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, do the Government recognise that religious leaders do not always get recognised by some of these ideologically driven so-called religious groupings and organisations? So the condemnation by religious leaders, though important, has no impact on these ideologues. Do the Government have any approach, particularly at the ministerial conference coming up next month, to address this reality and discrepancy?
Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks about killings of church worshippers in Nigeria”Bishop of Coventry asks about rule of law, freedom of religion in Nigeria
On 12th October 2020 the Bishop of Coventry received answers to two written questions on Nigeria, on the rule of law and freedom of religion, and the detention of Mubarak Bala:
The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria about the arrest and ongoing detention without trial of Mubarak Bala. [HL8623] Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry asks about rule of law, freedom of religion in Nigeria”
Bishop of Coventry raises case of Nigerian detained without trial
On 8th October 2020 the Bishop of Coventry received a written answer from Government about the detention without trial of Professor Richard Solomon Tarfa in Nigeria:
Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria about the arrest and ongoing detention without trial of Professor Richard Solomon Musa Tarfa. [HL8624] Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry raises case of Nigerian detained without trial”
Archbishop of Canterbury asks Government about killings in Nigeria
On Monday 21st September Baroness Cox asked the Government about its response to a recent report on potential genocide taking place in Nigeria. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Revd Justin Welby, asked a follow up question:
The Archbishop of Canterbury [V]: My Lords, like the Minister, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for raising this issue; she is tireless and fearless in standing up for the weakest and most vulnerable. While the issues of genocide are often ones of legal terminology, the situation in Nigeria is one of large-scale killing in many areas across all communities and for a wide variety of reasons, not all of which are religious. Would the Minister say how the very large numbers of UK passport holders in Nigeria—most with dual citizenship and families here—are protected and informed of the situation? Would he also say what priority the establishment of reconciliation will get in the allocation of overseas aid in the new department? Continue reading “Archbishop of Canterbury asks Government about killings in Nigeria”
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.
Church Commissioner Questions: historic buildings, Christian persecution overseas, promoting marriage
On 17th January 2019 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered questions from MPs on historic church buildings, Christian persecution overseas, and the promotion of marriage. A full transcript follows:
Church Commissioners
The right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked—
Protection of Historic Church Buildings
Alex Burghart (Brentwood and Ongar) (Con): What steps the Church of England is taking to ensure that historic church buildings are protected. [908606]
The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Dame Caroline Spelman): The Church of England continues to suffer thefts of metal and other items of historical and architectural interest from its churches. The Archbishop’s Council conducted an inquiry into this, and the trend appears to be gradually moving from east to west and from south to north. I encourage my hon. Friend to look at the Church of England [Churchcare] website for ways of protecting his churches more successfully. Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions: historic buildings, Christian persecution overseas, promoting marriage”
Bishop of Carlisle asks if Nigerian Government can be asked how Fulani herders are getting weaponry
On 6th December 2018 Baroness Cox asked Her Majesty’s Government “whether they plan to revise their assessment of the situation in northern and central belt states of Nigeria, following the report by local church leaders of the killing and maiming of 6,000 civilians by Fulani Islamist terrorists between January and June and figures from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees that almost two million people have been displaced by jihadist attacks.” The Bishop of Carlisle, Rt Revd James Newcome, asked a follow-up question:
The Lord Bishop of Carlisle: My Lords, this violence is clearly organised and systematic. Will Her Majesty’s Government ask the Government of Nigeria to make available information regarding the sources and provision of sophisticated weaponry to the Fulani herders? Continue reading “Bishop of Carlisle asks if Nigerian Government can be asked how Fulani herders are getting weaponry”
The Church of England in Parliament 
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