Crime and Policing Bill: Offences against Children
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Church of England on the application of the statutory duty to report child sexual abuse in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 to disclosures made in religious confessionals.
Answered by Natalie Fleet
The Home Office engages regularly with a wide range of stakeholders, including faith organisations, on the implementation of measures to tackle child sexual abuse. Ministers and officials have had discussions on mandatory reporting with representatives of the Church of England as part of this wider engagement.
The Government is clear that compliance with the new statutory duty to report child sexual abuse is a vital step in changing cultures and ensuring that concerns are identified and acted upon. We will continue to engage with faith groups and other stakeholders to support effective implementation of the new duty, including through the development and publication of statutory guidance.
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