Faith Communities (Hansard, 13 November 2003)

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the answers by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 22 October (Official Report, cols. 1609–12)

(a) what is the justification for creating a high-level steering group of Ministers from six government departments exclusively to consider the most effective means of achieving greater involvement of the faith communities in policy-making and delivery across Whitehall;
(b) what is meant by the reference to "developing and implementing policy"; and
(c) whether they envisage that the group or any successor body will be involved (directly or indirectly) in consultation on Government policy; and [HL5116]

Further to the answers by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 22 October (Official Report, cols. 1609–12, in relation to the Jewish community, what response they made to the recent report by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research (David Graham, Secular or religious? The outlook of London's Jews) indicating that the majority of respondents to a survey of the Jews in London and the south-east "located themselves on the secular side of the secular-religious continuum"; and [HL5117]

Further to the answers by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 22 October (Official Report, cols. 1609–12), whether they consulted representatives of the reform and liberal sections of the Jewish community before deciding to invite only the Chief Rabbi to represent the interests and views of religious Jews; and [HL5118]

Further to the answers by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 22 October (Official Report, cols. 1609–12), whether the 76.8 per cent of the United Kingdom's population referred to as regarding themselves as "having some religious affiliation" is regarded by the Government as equivalent to their having some religious belief; and, if so, upon what evidence this is based. [HL5119]

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal

The Government have a manifesto commitment to "look at Government's interface with the faith communities". This was prompted by the success of the Lambeth Group at the time of the millennium celebrations. A great many people in Britain are members of faith groups which to a greater or lesser extent guide their values and beliefs. Providing a mechanism to bring faith perspectives into the development of social policy is therefore a good way of engaging with many citizens and improving the sensitivity of the Government's policies. The steering group includes not only Ministers from departments with a particular interest, but representatives of the faith communities and others with an interest.

The aim of the review is to ensure that issues raised by different faith communities are given full and proper consideration when departments are developing policy that affects them. Also, places of worship and faith-based organisations are themselves engaged in a huge range of voluntary activities which benefit the wider community, and the Government wish to take advantage of their networks, people and buildings in seeking to build more cohesive, active communities.

It would not be appropriate to predict the conclusions of the steering group by suggesting at this point what its recommendations for future consultative arrangements will be. The steering group itself will disband once a report is produced at the end of the year.

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In forming the steering group to take ahead the review we recognised that as wide representation as possible was needed, while keeping the group small enough to allow productive discussion. For that reason the steering group was formed with an expert panel of advisers to assist it and a working group to carry out much of the work. In discussion with the Inter Faith Network, Inner Cities Religious Council and other government departments we invited individuals to join these different bodies who were considered representative of their faith community and had a proven record of providing well-informed advice to government.

The Chief Rabbi was chosen for the steering group as the most senior Jewish leader, but representatives of the liberal and reform traditions within the Jewish community feed their views into the review through other routes. The executive director of the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain is a member of the panel of advisers and the director general of the Board of Deputies of British Jews is a member of both the panel and the working group.

The Government do not intend to issue a formal response to the recent report by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, Secular or Religious? The Outlook of London's Jews.

We appreciate that there are varying degrees of religiosity among the members of different faith communities. It is not for the Government to judge how many of the 76.8 per cent of the population who declare themselves to have "some religious affiliation" have an active religious belief. We are aware that within that percentage there will be those who only identify culturally with a religion as well as those who are firm believers and regularly worship. Nevertheless, it is important for the Government to improve the way they engage with faith communities, however the members of those communities define the extent of their affiliation.