House of Commons · General Debate
26 January 2023 · 4 other contributors
Opened by Desmond Swayne Con New Forest West
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Desmond Swayne raised concerns about church commissioners in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
Key points
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Asked whether the commissioners have made an estimate of the proportion of the Church’s assets that may be linked to historical involvement with slavery, and pressed for assurance on how the £100 million fund will address current issues of slavery.
Asked about the Church's assets linked historically to slavery and sought assurances that the £100 million fund would focus on contemporary issues of slavery.
Emphasised the importance of focusing on positive aspects of the Church, such as its missionary work in spreading Christianity and addressing current social issues rather than dwelling solely on historical wrongs.
Asked about Dean Adrian Dorber’s contributions at Lichfield cathedral and questioned if better training could be provided for those running cathedrals.
Inquired whether the Commissioners have held discussions with senior Church leaders regarding allowing clergy to conduct blessings for same-sex couples and questioned why non-believing heterosexuals are permitted to marry in the Church while committed LGBTQI+ believers are not.
Government Response
Provided details on the £100 million fund dedicated to combating modern slavery, clarified legal requirements for changing ecclesiastical law regarding same-sex marriage and blessings, and discussed variations in policies across different Anglican provinces.