Religious Discrimination (Hansard, 23 July 1991)

§ Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has any plans to bring forward proposals to repeal the provision within the Bill of Rights of 1689 barring Roman Catholics from succession to, or possession of, the Crown;

(2) if he will bring forward proposals to establish that section 9 of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 should not apply to ordained priests of the Roman Catholic Church who have celebrated religious services according to the rites of the Church of Rome but have since ceased to practice as Roman Catholic priests;

(3) if he will give consideration to the requirements of public policy which are met by maintaining disabilities regarding advice to the Crown on matters affecting the Church of England under the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 and the Jews Relief Act 1858 for Roman Catholics and Jews but not for other members of non-established churches and faiths, agnostics or atheists;

(4) if he has any plans to bring forward proposals to repeal the provision within the Bill of Rights (IX 1689) whereby any person who marries a papist is excluded from succession to the Crown or any regal authority and jurisdiction if in possession of the Crown;

(5) if he has any plans to bring forward proposals to repeal the provisions contained in the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 barring Roman Catholic deacons and others in Roman Catholic minor orders from sitting in the House of Commons;

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(6) if he will make it his policy to remove all outstanding civil disabilities affecting Roman Catholics and Jews from the statute book;

(7) if he will bring forward proposals to repeal the provisions contained within the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 and the Jews Relief Act 1959 which bar from office, civil or military, under the Crown Roman Catholics or Jews advising the Crown on appointments or preferment in the Church of England;

(8) if he will consider what continuing needs are met by maintaining disabilities regarding the ecclesiastical functions of the Lord Chancellor under the Lord Chancellor (Tenure of Office and Discharge of Ecclesiastical Functions) Act 1974 for Roman Catholics and Jews but not for other members of non-established churches and faiths, agnostics or atheists.