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822910

registered interest
date	15/01/2018
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps have been taken by the Government in response to the recommendation in paragraph 6.2.4 of the Council of Europe Resolution 2036 (2015) on enabling Christians to fully participate in public life.
tabling member constituency	Lagan Valley
tabling member printed	Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson
uin	122593
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2018 answer text <p>Britain has a proud tradition of religious tolerance, within the law. The Government is committed to creating a strong and integrated society in which hatred and prejudice are not tolerated and in which all people are free to express their religious identity and live without fear of harassment and crime.</p><p>The Government is committed to ensuring that people are protected against discrimination because of religion or belief, and that they are able to exercise the right to hold and manifest their beliefs in a reasonable manner. We support people’s right to conduct their lives in accordance with the Christian faith (as well as other faiths and beliefs) providing this does not unlawfully interfere with the rights of others.</p><p>More generally, the Government greatly values the vital role that Christian organisations – and individual Christians - have in our society and the participation they have in national life, inspiring a great number of people to get involved in public service and providing help to those in need, as well as acting as a moral beacon. Our Christian heritage is something that we can all be proud of.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 23/01/2018 13:00:26 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
tabling member	650 label Biography information for Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

805993

registered interest
date	13/12/2017
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations at the UN on the recent increase in the persecution of Christians worldwide.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	119203
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2017 answer text <p>The Government remains concerned about the persecution of Christians and other individuals worldwide and continues to promote Freedom of Religion or Belief including through the United Nations. We recently worked with international partners to sustain consensus on the adoption and implementation of the European Union-sponsored Resolution on 'Freedom of Religion or Belief' and the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation-sponsored Resolution on 'Combating Religious Intolerance'. In his statement in September, at the UN Human Rights Council, Lord Ahmad reiterated the importance of working together towards the full realisation of Freedom of Religion or Belief for all individuals worldwide. We also strongly support the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Dr Ahmed Shaheed.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 18/12/2017 16:54:11 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

795294

registered interest
date	27/11/2017
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Honourable Member for Meridan, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to support Christians in the UK who face difficulties in following their faith in the (a) workplace and the (b) public forum.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	115715
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/11/2017 answer text <p>At its July 2012 session the General Synod of the Church of England passed the following motion:</p><p>“That this Synod express its conviction that it is the calling of Christians to order and govern our lives in accordance with the teaching of Holy Scripture, and to manifest our faith in public life as well as in private, giving expression to our beliefs in the written and spoken word, and in practical acts of service to the local community and to the nation.‟</p><p>Bishops of the Church of England frequently speak about the need to ensure freedom of expression for Christians and for those of other faiths and none in the public square. In their joint letter before the last General Election, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York wrote:</p><p>“Contemporary politics needs to re-evaluate the importance of religious belief. The assumptions of secularism are not a reliable guide to the way the world works, nor will they enable us to understand the place of faith in other people’s lives. Parishes and Chaplaincies of the Church of England serve people of all faiths and none. Their contribution and that of other denominations and faiths to the well-being of the nation is immense – schools, food banks, social support, childcare among many others – and is freely offered. But the role of faith in society is not just measured in terms of service delivery...The new Parliament, if it is to take religious freedom seriously, must treat as an essential task the improvement of religious literacy.”</p><p>The full text can be read here: <a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchurchinparliament.org%2F2017%2F05%2F09%2Fgeneral-election-2017-archbishops-issue-election-letter%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ccaroline.spelman.mp%40parliament.uk%7Cf043429f8fd9451b370408d537460623%7C1ce6dd9eb3374088be5e8dbbec04b34a%7C0%7C0%7C636475696241825720&amp;sdata=OroVW92iBPZ0GqneZSZfTddQsmJ1FDDGslmLN1EJQnY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://churchinparliament.org/2017/05/09/general-election-2017-archbishops-issue-election-letter/</a></p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 29/11/2017 16:39:44 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

794078

registered interest
date	22/11/2017
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to prevent the persecution of Christians in countries where they are at risk.
tabling member constituency	Ilford North
tabling member printed	Wes Streeting
uin	115166
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2017 answer text <p>The Government condemns all persecution on the grounds of religious identity, faith or belief and calls upon all state authorities to respect and protect the universal right to freedom of religion or belief. This policy is implemented both in multilateral fora through relevant resolutions at the UN Security Council, most recently Resolution 2379 on 21 September or Human Rights Council, and through raising cases of persecution in individual countries. I regularly raised this issue with my counterparts in the region, including on a visit to Pakistan on 8-9 November 2017. The FCO Magna Carter Fund for Human Rights and Democracy supports projects designed to promote greater tolerance and to create conditions less conducive to extremism and persecution.​</p><p>​</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 27/11/2017 16:30:07 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4504 label Biography information for Wes Streeting

445525

registered interest
date	18/01/2016
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the conclusions of the report from Open Doors, Freedom of Religion and the Persecution of Christians; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Mrs Anne Main
uin	22877
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2016 answer text <p>The Government is firmly committed to promoting and protecting the right to freedom of religion or belief around the world, and to being a strong voice internationally in defence of this fundamental right. We value our close working relationship with organisations such as Open Doors and their insights from practical work around the world. We welcomed their recent report, which Baroness Anelay of St Johns, FCO Minister for Human Rights, was pleased to discuss with Open Doors on 13 January.</p><p>Our new strategic approach to human rights refocuses our work around three themes: democratic values and the rule of law; strengthening the rules-based international system; and human rights for a stable world. Our work on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is integral to all three of these themes.</p><p>We have an active programme of religious literacy training amongst staff from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and across Whitehall, including through our new Diplomatic Academy.</p><p>Multilaterally, we are working through the UN General Assembly to establish an internationally agreed set of principles for promoting tolerance through education. We also carry out project work in a range of countries, working with non-governmental organisations on issues such as promoting better understanding between faiths, bridging sectarian divides, promoting dialogue between faith groups and government and offering technical advice on amending discriminatory laws. Earlier in January, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office announced an uplift to £10.6 million for the 2016/17 programme, named the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy. We are encouraging strong bids for projects focused on promoting freedom of religion or belief, and promoting FoRB as one way of tackling the root causes of extremism.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 27/01/2016 14:04:43 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1568 label Biography information for Mrs Anne Main

445159

registered interest
date	15/01/2016
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the UN Human Rights Council on the persecution of Christians.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Mrs Anne Main
uin	22719
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2016 answer text <p>The UK has a strong record of supporting freedom of religion or belief, including christianity, at the Human Rights Council. We supported the resolution on freedom of religion or belief in both the Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly in 2015, and will look to do so again in March 2016. The UK also supported the appointment of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief, who is tasked with monitoring and reporting these issues worldwide.</p><p>In addition, we regularly support language in country specific resolutions about the importance of protecting religious minorities, as evidenced in the Syria resolution of September 2015. We also regularly work with EU partners to ensure a strong EU position on freedom of religion or belief at the Human Rights Council.</p><p>When raising persecution faced by one faith group, we endeavour to frame our remarks in the wider context of the rule of law and freedom – making the point that when one faith community is persecuted, the liberty of all is jeopardised.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 25/01/2016 15:16:07 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1568 label Biography information for Mrs Anne Main

174579

registered interest
date	14/01/2015
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to tackle the persecution of Christians overseas.
tabling member constituency	South Down
tabling member printed	Ms Margaret Ritchie
uin	907111
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2015 answer text <p>Freedom of religion or belief is a human rights priority. At all levels of Government, we regularly urge the protection and the right of all, including Christians, to practise their religion or belief without discrimination.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 20/01/2015 16:42:55 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

172901

registered interest
date	09/01/2015
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the extent of persecution of Christians in (a) Nigeria and (b) Iran.
tabling member constituency	The Wrekin
tabling member printed	Mark Pritchard
uin	220309
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2015 answer text Freedom of religion or belief is a key human rights priority for this Government. We regularly urge governments at senior levels to uphold the rights of all, including Christians. We work to build international consensus on freedom of religion or belief in multilateral bodies such as the UN, and support practical projects with civil society and faith groups. In Nigeria the two main religions, Christianity and Islam, have a history of tolerance and coexistence. Boko Haram are attempting to challenge Nigeria’s secular state and democratic constitution by attacking all Nigerians who do not follow their extremist and intolerant views. Their activities, which do not command widespread support, have caused immense suffering in both Muslim and Christian communities. We are committed to playing our part in helping Nigeria combat these extremists. In Iran, we are disappointed that comments made by President Rouhani in 2013 in support of the rights of religious minorities have not brought any change in his government’s approach over the past year. Christians, although recognised under Iranian law, have continued to be persecuted. Evangelical Christians, Iranian converts to Christianity and those involved in house churches have found themselves particularly singled out for harassment and arrest. The UK has repeatedly called on the Iranian government to end all persecution of individuals on the basis of their faith, and to guarantee the human rights of all Iranians. answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 16/01/2015 12:42:26 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1576 label Biography information for Mark Pritchard

166327

registered interest
date	26/11/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts at the UN about the persecution of Christians in other countries; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Lagan Valley
tabling member printed	Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson
uin	216225
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>Freedom of religion or belief, including the right of christians to profess their faith freely, is a key human rights priority for this Government. We work actively on it through the UN, encouraging all member states to implement in their own countries the commitments they have made in endorsing UN resolutions on this subject.</p><p>During the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, UN Member States adopted resolutions on freedom of religion or belief and combating intolerance.</p><p>My right hon and noble Friend, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Baroness Anelay of St. Johns has called upon all UN Member States to ensure that they translate these resolutions into practice and create a climate where no-one is persecuted or discriminated against on the grounds of their religion or belief.</p><p>The subject is also raised by means of country specific resolutions. One example is the UN Special Session on Iraq on 1 September when the UK requested a UN investigation into the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) abuses, which would include those directed at Christians, as well as Yazidis and other religious and ethnic minorities.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 01/12/2014 16:50:00 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	650 label Biography information for Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

91281

registered interest
date	09/09/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to assist persecuted Christians around the world; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	North Down
tabling member printed	Lady Hermon
uin	208812
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>The promotion and protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief is one of the UK’s human rights priorities. We regularly raise individual cases and work to combat discriminatory legislation and practices through multilateral systems and targeted project work. In the last month Ministers have made public statements expressing grave concern about persecution of individuals on grounds of their religion or belief in Syria, Pakistan and Iraq.</p><p>As an example, in the recent high profile case of Meriam Ibrahim who was forced to leave Sudan because she refused to renounce Christianity, My Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister, My Rt Hon Friend Justine Greening, Secretary of State for International Development and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, My Hon Friend, the Member for Rochford and Southend East (Mr Duddridge) The Minister for Africa, all publicly condemned her sentencing, and called on the Government of Sudan to respect the right to freedom of religion or belief and international human rights laws. However, Meriam Ibrahim's case is not an isolated occurrence. This is why we are calling on the Sudanese government to undertake a comprehensive review of its penal code to ensure its laws reflect both its own constitution and international human rights obligations and the values of the Sudanese people.</p><p>We are active in our project work in a wide range of countries. In Iraq, we are currently funding a series of grassroots meetings, bringing together people from different faiths to combat sectarian violence. The work is being led by Canon Andrew White, who has played a key role in forming the High Council of Religious Leaders in Iraq. In Syria, we are funding the training of religious and community leaders from the Sunni, Alawite, Christian, Druze, Armenian and Kurdish communities in active citizenship and dialogue skills in order to help reduce community tensions. We continue to fund training for Syrian activists to document abuses to a criminal law standard with the aim that this documentation could be used in a future process of accountability.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 13/10/2014 13:27:22 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1437 label Biography information for Lady Hermon