Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Family Relationships, Parenting and Marriage

Thursday 15 June 2023 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The commissioners made 36 recommendations to the Church of England and 29 to the Government.
  • The Church of England is funding new types of ministry to strengthen family life.
  • The Church of England welcomes the commissioners' conclusion that "family" can include various relationships beyond traditional ones.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Tim Loughton Con
Children & Families Religion & Faith
Context

The Church of England's Archbishops' commission on families and households made recommendations to support family relationships, parenting, and marriage.

Question

What steps is the Church of England taking to implement the 36 recommendations from the Archbishops' Commission on Families and Households?

Answer from Andrew Selous

The commissioners made 36 recommendations to the Church of England and 29 to the Government. The focus now must turn to implementation with recommendations including supporting a consistent and universal roll-out of family hubs, requiring registrars to signpost high-quality marriage preparation, and a call to the Church to build relational capability at all life stages.

Answered
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Q2 Tim Loughton Con
Children & Families Religion & Faith
Context

Church weddings have declined from 51,000 in 2011 to 29,000 by 2019. Average congregational attendance has dropped since the current Archbishop of Canterbury came into office.

Question

How can the Church influence family relationships and marriage matters when declining attendance suggests many are voting with their feet?

Answer from Andrew Selous

The work the commissioners are doing to fund the Church to try new types of ministry in different parts of the country has been successful. The right hon. Gentleman will join me in supporting the objectives of the Church Commissioners to strengthen family life, and he agrees with me about the role that registrars have to play.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific measures to increase church attendance were not detailed.

How: The Answer Focused On General Support For Objectives But Did Not Specify Concrete Actions.

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Q3 Ben Bradshaw Lab
Women & Equalities Religion & Faith
Context

There is a debate about allowing same-sex couples to marry in the Church, and the commissioners concluded that 'family' does not necessitate specific family forms.

Question

Does the Church welcome the commissioners' conclusion that 'family' can include various relationships beyond traditional ones?

Answer from Andrew Selious

This was an independent report welcomed by the Church based on two years of evidence collection and discussions with young people. It contains sensible suggestions, but issues like same-sex marriage are part of the General Synod agenda for York early next month.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific stance on allowing same-sex couples to marry was not addressed.

How: The Answer Referenced Future Decisions By The General Synod Without Providing A Direct Commitment.

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