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New legislation will mean Roman Catholic and Jewish Prime
Ministers can provide advice on Church of England
appointments to the King.
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This Bill will end archaic restrictions that prevent the
Prime Minister exercising the full extent of their
constitutional responsibilities.
Changes announced today will remove archaic legislation which
prevents a Prime Minister of the Roman Catholic or Jewish faith
from exercising their full constitutional responsibilities of
advising the monarch on Church Appointments.
As principal adviser to the Monarch, providing advice on
appointments to the Church of England is a part of the Prime
Minister's role.
Amendments were brought into law in the late 18th and early 19th
centuries to remove restrictions on Catholic and Jewish people in
public life. However, the restrictions on Church appointments
were left in place, and that is what The Church Appointments
(Repeal of Discriminatory Provision) Bill will remove.
Up until recently these restrictions had no practical effect as
there has not been a Roman Catholic or Jewish Prime Minister, and
these restrictions do not apply to people of other faiths or of
no faith.
This short, targeted Bill will modernise the law to enable the
Prime Minister, and any future Jewish or Roman Catholic Prime
Minister to carry out the complete functions of their
office.
In the interim, the Prime Minister has transferred the
responsibility to the Lord Chancellor to ensure that Church
appointments can continue.
This Bill is crucial in ensuring that all Prime Ministers can
discharge this responsibility regardless of their personal
religious beliefs.
