Stephen has led a debate in the House of Commons on the response of faith groups during the covid-19 outbreak.
In his speech, Stephen drew on the findings of the Keeping the Faith report which was conducted by the Civil Society Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London, and commissioned by the APPG on Faith and Society. Support was also received from the Sir Halley Stewart Trust, the Trussell Trust and the Good Faith partnership. Stephen referenced some of the report’s key findings in his contribution:
More than two thirds of the councils surveyed reported an increase in partnership working with faith groups.
91% described their experience with faith groups as “very positive” or “positive”.
Nearly 60% of councils have been working with church-based food banks during the pandemic, 24% with mosque-based food banks, 11% with food banks in Gurdwaras, and 10% with food banks in Hindu temples.
Only 1% expressed “concerns about the possibility of proselytization in the context of partnership working”.
Stephen also urged the government to encourage nationwide adoption of the Faith Covenant – a framework that reflects shared values to foster trust and promote effective collaboration. Interest in the Faith Covenant had continued to accelerate during the past year.
In his closing remarks, the Minister, Eddie Hughes, commended the response of faith communities to the pandemic and the findings of the Keeping the Faith report. He later endorsed the Faith Covenant saying “...such initiatives can help to encourage collaborations that bring about huge benefits for communities. I encourage all councils to look at the faith covenant and take up the challenge to work constructively with faith groups.”
Speaking after the debate, Stephen said: “I was encouraged by the Minister’s comments about the continued roll-out of the Covenant.
“We need our public institutions to be able to work confidently with people whose starting point is religious faith. This has not always happened in the past. This is a shame as many have experience of running very successful practical initiatives that support their local communities.”