Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Safeguarding

Thursday 22 May 2025 · 1 question

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

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Wera Hobhouse asked about a constituent who was a victim of abuse in the Church of England.
  • The Church of England's governing body rejected a fully independent safeguarding model earlier in the year.
  • The minister expressed disappointment and a commitment to work towards a fully independent safeguarding model.

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Questions & Answers

Context

A constituent of Wera Hobhouse was a victim of abuse in the Church of England, and the Church rejected a fully independent safeguarding model earlier this year. The issue concerns the need for effective measures to address historical abuse cases.

Question

Horribly and tragically, one of my constituents was a victim of abuse in the Church of England. We must never forget that there are victims and survivors involved here, and they were dismayed when earlier this year the Church of England’s governing body rejected a fully independent safeguarding model to deal with abuse cases. The Church should not fall behind other organisations on safeguarding. Can she reassure me that she will continue to push for a fully independent body, as that must be our goal?

Answer from Marsha De Cordova

Absolutely. I was at that meeting of Synod and it was disappointing that my preferred model of full independence was not adopted. We owe it to those like the hon. Lady’s constituent, who is now a survivor, to ensure that the Church works at pace towards a fully independent model for safeguarding.

Partly answered
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