Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans his Department has to mark the 200th anniversary of Catholic emancipation.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The 200th anniversary of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 will take place in 2029.

The Act removed many of the legal barriers to participation in public life for Roman Catholics and was an important milestone in the development of religious freedom in the UK.

While the Government currently has no specific plans to mark the anniversary, the Government engages with the Catholic Church along with a wide range of other Churches at national, regional and local level, and remains committed to valuing the contribution which Christians make to society.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on strengthening the Union.

Answered by Anna McMorrin - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)

I have regular discussions with the Welsh Government on how our two governments are delivering, investing in Wales’s future and strengthening our union.

Through a record budget settlement for the Welsh Government, alongside our investment into Welsh rail, Growth Deals, Investment Zones, Freeports, Pride in Place Funds and our Defence Growth Deal for Wales – we are working together to improve public services, support communities, drive jobs, and deliver economic growth.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Egyptian counterparts on the potential impact of the inclusion of religious affiliation on national identity cards on people who convert to Christianity.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Egyptian Government has stated its commitment to protecting the rights and freedom of worship as well as the protections enshrined in the Egyptian constitution. The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all and we continue to regularly raise rights concerns with the Egyptian authorities where appropriate.

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