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Written Question
Religious Freedom: Employment
Tuesday 2nd June 2020

Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Democratic Unionist Party - Lagan Valley)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Resolution 2318 (2020) on the protection of freedom of religion or belief in the workplace.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

Freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right, and one which underpins many of the others. Britain has a proud tradition of religious tolerance, within the law. The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief and promoting respect between communities of different religions and those of no religion. Promoting the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief is one of the UK’s human rights policy priorities. In the UN, OSCE, Council of Europe and other multilateral fora, the UK works with like-minded partners on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

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.

Resolution 2318 concerns the protection of freedom of religion or belief in the workplace. Domestic anti-discrimination provisions covering religion or belief are contained in the Equality Act 2010. Anyone who feels that they have suffered discrimination because of religion or belief can contact either The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), for issues related to the workplace, or the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) for non-employment matters. Both services provide free advice to members of the public.

ACAS and the EASS refer appropriate cases to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which is the country’s national equality and enforcement body. Both the EHRC and ACAS have published guidance for employers and employees about religion or belief and the workplace.

The UK Government thanks the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for its recent debate, report, and Resolution 2318 (2020) on the protection of freedom of religion or belief in the workplace. Working with partners and key stakeholders, the UK Government will continue to consider actively, and across departments, the important topics raised by Resolution 2318 (2020).


Written Question
Christianity
Tuesday 23rd January 2018

Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Democratic Unionist Party - Lagan Valley)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

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.

Answered by Heather Wheeler

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.

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.

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.


Written Question
Religious Freedom
Tuesday 23rd January 2018

Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Democratic Unionist Party - Lagan Valley)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

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 6.6 of the Council of Europe Resolution 2036 (2015) on combatting and preventing cases of violence, discrimination and intolerance and on carrying out effective investigations in order to avoid any sense of impunity among the perpetrators.

Answered by Heather Wheeler

The Government takes all forms of hate crime seriously including hate crime perpetrated against Christians. 'Action against Hate' the UK Government's plan for tackling hate crime specifically mentions anti-Christian Hate Crime and the work we are doing to prevent attacks against all places of worship including churches. We are supporting work through the police online reporting mechanism True Vision to encourage victims of anti-Christian hate crime to report incidents to the police. We would expect all incidents of hate crime to be investigated effectively and perpetrators brought to justice. We also support a number of projects in schools including the Anne Frank Trust which use Anne’s diary to educate young people about all forms of prejudice and intolerance.


Written Question
Churches: Crimes of Violence
Tuesday 23rd January 2018

Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Democratic Unionist Party - Lagan Valley)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect on community and inter-faith relations of attacks on churches in the UK including Christ Church on Infirmary Road in Londonderry on 12 September 2017, St John's Church in Keynsham in September 2017, Holy Trinity Church in Back Hamlet in August 2017, St James’ Church in Dursley in August 2017, St Mary and St Nicolas Church in August 2017, Airdrie Clarkston Parish Church in August 2017, All Saints Parish Church on Church Street, Gainsborough on 26 July 2017, St Winifred RC Church, Bootle in July 2017, Church of the Venerable Bede in July 2017, St Thomas’s Church in Stopsley in July 2017, St Botolph’s Church in Skidbrooke in July 2017, Murston Old Church in July 2017, St Editha's Church, in Tamworth in June 2017, Castlemilk Evangelical Church of Christ in April 2017, Wylde Green United Reformed Church in Sutton Coldfield in March 2017, St Faith’s Church in Lincoln in March 2017, Blackford Parish Church in February 2017, St. Mary’s Church, Pateley Bridge in January 2017; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Heather Wheeler


We condemn in the strongest terms attacks on all faith institutions as we are well aware of the impact this can have on inter-faith relations. The Places of Worship Security Funding Scheme is one of the key commitments contained within 'Action Against Hate' - the UK Government's plan for tackling hate crime. The Home Office has committed £2.4 million to the scheme over three years. The Government provides funding for security measures to places of worship that have been subject to, or vulnerable to a hate crime attack. The fund has received a number of applications from churches. Applications for 2018/19 will be opening in due course.


Written Question
Religious Freedom
Monday 22nd January 2018

Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Democratic Unionist Party - Lagan Valley)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

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 6.5. of the Council of Europe Resolution 2036 (2015) on publicly condemning the use of and incitement to violence, as well as all forms of discrimination and intolerance on religious grounds; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Heather Wheeler

The Government condemns all forms of discrimination, intolerance and hate crime including that perpetrated against Christians. 'Action against Hate' the UK Government's plan for tackling hate crime specifically mentions hate crime perpetrated against Christians. We are also supporting work through the police online portal True Vision to conduct a survey on the nature and number of hate crimes perpetrated against Christians. An important part of this programme is to encourage victims of anti-Christian hate crime to report incidents to the police.