Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Parenting and Marriage

Thursday 27 January 2022 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Church of England is committed to supporting family relationships, parenting, and marriage.
  • Church has examples of outstanding practice in pre-marriage courses that need wider dissemination.
  • Church of England has no principled objection to humanist marriage celebrants conducting marriages.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Crispin Blunt Con
Religion & Faith
Context

The question addresses the Church's role in supporting families, parenting and marriage within communities.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to support family relationships, parenting and marriage.

Answer from Andrew Selous

The Church is deeply committed to marriage and will always be there to support every family and household. It is for that reason that both archbishops have launched a commission on families and households to look at what more the Church can do to provide the very best marriage preparation and enrichment and to strengthen family relationships.

Partly answered
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Q2 Desmond Swayne Con New Forest West
Religion & Faith
Context

The question seeks detailed information on specific programs or courses initiated by the Church to support families in preparation and enrichment.

Question

What are the very best examples of preparation and enrichment and classes for parents, and what is the Church doing to spread it about?

Answer from Andrew Selous

My right hon. Friend asks a typically astute question, and, like any national institution, the Church has examples of outstanding practice, which are not as widely shared as they should be. Although there is excellent work in every diocese, I have been particularly impressed by the pre-marriage course, which is also for couples who are not engaged and want to explore marriage, and the marriage course run by the Reverend Nicky Lee and his wife, Sila. These have been run in 127 countries for more than 1.5 million couples and get tremendous feedback.

Answered
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Q3 Crispin Blunt Con
Religion & Faith
Context

The question refers to a potential objection from the Archbishop of Canterbury regarding humanist celebrants conducting marriages.

Question

I hope that my hon. Friend can give me a one-word answer to my question. Will he confirm what I understand was said by the Archbishop of Canterbury, which is that the Church of England has no objection in principle to suitably qualified humanist celebrants conducting marriages for those couples who so wish to make their vows to each other in that way?

Answer from Andrew Selous

I think I can make my hon. Friend at least partially happy by telling him that the Church of England has no principled objection to humanist marriage. However, I know he will be aware that any move from a premises-based system of marriage registration to a celebrant-based one in England and Wales would not be a minor reform and would affect everyone involved in registering marriages.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The complexity and impact on the current system were mentioned without addressing the direct ask about humanist celebrants conducting marriages.

How: Under Review

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Q4 Barry Sheerman Lab
Religion & Faith
Context

The question suggests increased engagement with the Christians in Parliament group to discuss specific issues.

Question

As a former parliamentary churchwarden at St Margaret's and a lay canon at Wakefield, I remind the hon. Gentleman that there is a vibrant and lively Christians in Parliament group where some of the specific issues he has mentioned this morning could be better discussed. Could he get more involved in that and help us to get more hon. Members involved?

Answer from Andrew Selous

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. I am a former chair of Christians in Parliament, which is ably run by our colleague, my hon. Friend the Member for South West Devon (Sir Gary Streeter), and I participate in its meetings.

Answered
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Q5 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Religion & Faith
Context

The question highlights the Church's role in providing support for marriages facing difficulties and breaking down.

Question

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his response. I am a great believer in marriage, as you are, Mr Speaker. I have 34 years of married life—my wife has stuck me for 34 years, so well done to her. I know the hon. Gentleman is equally committed to helping people stay married and stay in happy relationships. What is the Church doing to ensure that, where there are breakdowns and grievances, it can step in to help to resolve those issues and make the marriage last?

Answer from Andrew Selous

I thank the hon. Gentleman; sadly, some marriages cannot be saved, but he is right that many marriages, with the appropriate help and support, can be saved. All marriages go through difficult times, and he is right to say that that is an important role for the Church of England.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer acknowledged difficulties in saving some marriages but did not provide specifics on what the Church is doing to resolve issues.

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