CHRISTIAN CHURCHES AND PUBLIC SERVICES

Early day motion 1721, tabled 9 June 2008 by Lord Field of Birkenhead (Labour). Signed by 29 members.

That this House welcomes the publication of Moral, But No Compass: Church, Government and the Future of Welfare, by Francis Davis, Elizabeth Paulhus et al of the Von Hugel Institute, Cambridge University, the results of research undertaken with the blessing of the Archbishop's Council of the Church of England and with the support of the House of Bishops; notes that it records an absence of an adequate evidence base on the part of the Government and departments of state when it comes to understanding the civic contribution of the Christian churches in the UK; notes an under-estimation of the total number of faith-based charities on the part of the Charity Commission; acknowledges the pioneering contribution made by Christian churches to social innovations in services and initiatives on housing, alcohol dependency, poverty alleviation, education, criminal justice, community participation and health and well-being as well as rural and urban social cohesion and economic development; notes that the research draws on interviews with Ministers and shadow ministers, senior civil servants and voluntary sector leaders as well as several Members of both Houses; congratulates the Right Reverend Stephen Lowe, National Bishop for Urban Life, for initiating this work; calls for fresh and high level discussions within the Civil Service and with, and between Ministers on measures to help the UK harness this under-recognised faith-based contribution to the life of the UK; and calls on British embassies and consulates-general to share the report with other EU and Commonwealth countries as an example of good British practice.

Signatures by party: Labour 10, Liberal Democrat 10, Conservative 8, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.