As the coronavirus pandemic continues, our MPs in Parliament are examining the Government’s strategy and seeking to hold ministers to account. The Evangelical Alliance is in turn keeping its eye on what the Government is doing and how Parliament is scrutinising their actions.

An important way in which our Parliament does this is through select committees, which are groups of MPs or members of the House of Lords who focus on one area of government policy. There are quite a few currently looking at various aspects of COVID-19 and the Government’s response. Here ishow three select committees are considering the effects of COVID-19 in relation to churches and Christian organisations. 

  1. The Joint Committee on Human Rights (with members from the House of Commons and the House of Lords) is looking at the human rights implications of the Government’s actions. The Evangelical Alliance has submitted to this inquiry, asking that the Government works with religious groups as they serve their communities and seek to resume gatherings when consistent with public health advice. 
  2. The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Select Committee is looking at the impact of COVID-19 on the charity sector. Many churches and religious organisations are charities and so will be facing problems around fundraising, furloughing staff and increased demand during the pandemic. Over the past few weeks, we’ve had the opportunity to hear from many member churches and organisations directly about these problems. We’ve also heard many encouraging stories about how members are adapting to new circumstances. The Evangelical Alliance is submitting a response to the DCMS consultation, looking at the impact of COVID-19 on Christian charities.
  3. The Education Select Committee is looking at the impact of coronavirus on schools and education. If you’re involved in running a school or an educational charity, you may want to make your own submission to this consultation.

A select committee gathers written evidence from a wide range of organisations or individuals on a particular topic. It may also ask some people to appear before the committee and answer questions in more detail. It will often question relevant members of the Government or civil servants who work in the area of specialism in question. The committee then publishes a report with recommendations, to which government should respond. At a difficult time like this, select committees will have a key role in asking questions of our government’s strategy. 

If you would like to engage with some of the above areas, here are some things you can do: 

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Pray

Pray for our MPs, including those on the select committees, that they will ask the right questions of the Government at this difficult time. Pray also for ministers as they decide on policy. 

Get in touch

If you have relevant experience on any of the areas mentioned above, feel free to contact us at the Evangelical Alliance, and we may be able to reflect your experience in our submissions. 

Make a submission

If you have your own expertise in a particular area, you may want to write your own submission to a parliamentary consultation. You can find the list of open inquiries here, and our guide to responding to consultations here.