The work of the APPG is currently on hold following the dissolution of Parliament in May 2024.

Author: faithaction

Faith in Local Government: Seeking solutions for community, local empowerment and social isolation

The APPG on Faith and Society is delighted to announce that the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, will be joining us for a parliamentary reception to celebrate the Faith Covenant. This invitation-only event is to be held in Westminster on Monday 14th November, and will be attended by members of the APPG alongside Council and faith leaders from areas that have adopted the Faith Covenant. This reception will be an opportunity to share the good practice that...

APPG Meeting: Public Faith and Finance, 14th July

A policy roundtable discussion was held on Thursday 14 July in Portcullis House, focusing on faith-based organisations’ responses to issues of finance, poverty and austerity. The event marked the publication of the report Public Faith and Finance: Faith responses to the financial crisis, which was presented by authors Dr Therese O’Toole and Dr Katya Braginskaia of the University of Bristol. Omar Shaikh of the Islamic Finance Council UK spoke about the Council’s work, and its joint project with the Church of Scotland to develop ethical...

Statement of Hope

Statement of Hope

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Faith and Society was formed to support and promote the work of faith organisations in the United Kingdom. Faith groups are often the very glue of society; they provide a place for people to come together, they seek out solutions, and they provide hope. We want to affirm these values of community and hope for the United Kingdom today.

US ruling on religious liberty protections for beneficiaries of public services

US agencies have published a ruling that will provide new religious liberty protections for beneficiaries of federally funded social service programmes, while also adding new protections for the ability of religious providers to compete for government funds on the same basis as any other private organisation. This ruling provides a very interesting comparison with the Faith Covenant here in the UK. Read more We are grateful to Dr Harriet Crabtree, Executive Director of the Inter Faith Network for the UK, for bringing this to our...

APPG on Faith and Society Calls for Support for Faith Covenant

APPG on Faith and Society Calls for Support for Faith Covenant

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Faith and Society, chaired by the Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, has pressed today for national support and uptake of the Faith Covenant. The Covenant, developed after hearing evidence from faith groups across the country, was the idea of David Lammy MP, who was keen to develop a set of principles that faith groups and local authorities could adopt to promote joint working. Since its development in 2013, six local authorities have recognised the significance and potential of the...

Commons Chamber Debate on the Contribution of Faith Organisations to the Voluntary Sector in Communities

On Thursday 5th May, there was a general debate in the House of Commons Chamber amongst MPs on ‘the contribution of faith organisations to the voluntary sector in communities’. The debate was scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee after the issue was raised in a meeting by Fiona Bruce MP and Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, both members of the APPG on Faith and Society. A video of Fiona Bruce MP and Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP’s representation to the Committee is available below, courtesy...

Recent Events

Updated 5th May 2016: Minutes from these events have now been made available. The Counter-Extremism Strategy What are the responses and concerns of faith groups to the Counter-Extremism strategy – and should people of faith be more concerned? Speakers: Liam Byrne MP, Fiona Bruce MP, educational consultant David Brown and others tbc Date: Tuesday 22 March Time: 3:00pm – 4:30pm Location: Jubilee Room, House of Commons (entrance via Cromwell Gate) Minutes of this meeting are available Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life ...

Calderdale Council Signs Faith Covenant

We’re pleased to announce that Calderdale has become the latest area to sign up to the Faith Covenant. On 25th November 2015, Calderdale become the latest local authority to sign the Faith Covenant developed by the APPG on Faith and Society, of which FaithAction is the secretariat. Members of the local council – including Council Leader Cllr Tim Swift, Mayor of Calderdale Cllr Lisa Lambert, and Member for Halifax Holly Lynch MP – met with representatives of local faith groups to make a commitment to...

Theos Writes on The Problem of Proselytism

As a follow-up to the launch of the Theos report, The Problem of Proselytism, at an event hosted by the APPG and FaithAction at the House of Commons in October, Theos’ Director of Political Programme Peter Bickley has written a companion piece to the report, which is available via the FaithAction site. In our research with the Church Urban Fund, published last year, we found that roughly 10 million people in England were using church or church-based community services every year. Faith-based services are amongst...

Solihull Council Signs the Faith Covenant

We’re delighted that Solihull has become the latest area to sign up to the Faith Covenant! On 21st September 2015, Solihull become the latest local authority to sign the Faith Covenant developed by the APPG on Faith and Society, of which FaithAction is the secretariat. Members of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and local faith groups came together at an event celebrating the work of faith groups in the Solihull area, and made a commitment to work together in support of their community. The event was...

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