🤝 Church of Scotland (Lord High Commissioner) Bill

• The Church of Scotland (Lord High Commissioner) Bill aims to remove a legal restriction that prevents Catholics from holding the office of the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

• The Lord High Commissioner represents the sovereign at the Church of Scotland’s General Assembly, an annual event in Edinburgh where the Church’s governing body discusses reports, makes laws, and sets future agendas.

• Historically, the 1689 Claim of Right Act prohibited Catholics from public office in Scotland, including the role of Lord High Commissioner. The 1829 Roman Catholic Relief Act removed many such restrictions, but not this specific one.

• The Bill’s urgency stems from the recent appointment of Lady Elish Angiolini, a Catholic, to the position of Lord High Commissioner. To enable her to serve, the Bill must be passed quickly.

• The Bill is straightforward, containing only two clauses: one allowing Catholics to hold the office, and another detailing the Bill’s territorial extent and commencement upon Royal Assent.

• Support for the Bill was unanimous across the House, with MPs from various parties praising its intent to modernize and promote unity between different faiths in Scotland.

• Lady Elish Angiolini’s distinguished career in law and justice was highlighted, emphasizing her suitability for the role and the symbolic nature of her appointment as a sign of progress in Scottish society.

• Concerns were expressed about the piecemeal approach to removing anti-Catholic laws from the statute book, with some suggesting broader legislative action might be needed in the future.

• The Bill’s passage is seen as building on positive interfaith relations, particularly referencing the 2022 St Margaret declaration between the Church of Scotland and the Catholic Church in Scotland.

• The legislation was described as a small but significant step towards eliminating religious discrimination and fostering a more inclusive society in Scotland.

The parliamentary session concerning the Church of Scotland (Lord High Commissioner) Bill shows minimal to no disagreement among the participants. The session primarily consisted of supportive speeches from members of different political parties, all of whom expressed a desire for the removal of the legal barrier preventing Catholics from holding the office of the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. There was a consensus on the necessity and appropriateness of the legislation, and a general celebration of the progress represented by the appointment of Lady Elish Angiolini.

Key examples that support this assessment include: - The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, opened the debate and stressed the straightforward nature of the Bill and its goal of removing an outdated restriction, expressing hope for its support. - John Lamont raised a mild concern about the absence of consultation before the Bill’s introduction, but it was quickly addressed by McFadden, who justified the lack of consultation with a precedent, and Lamont expressed clear support for the Bill itself. - Andrew Bowie, the shadow Minister, represented the official Opposition and explicitly stated the party’s support for the Bill, highlighting its broader significance in the context of religious equality. - Members from Labour, Liberal Democrats, and the SNP all supported the Bill in their speeches, with some, such as Christine Jardine and Brendan O’Hara, adding critiques related to historical discrimination but without opposing the Bill itself. O’Hara’s comments on the piecemeal approach to repealing discriminatory laws were expressed as a hope for future action rather than a critique that impacted the support for the current Bill. - The Minister closing the debate, Douglas Alexander, acknowledged the supportive remarks from all sides of the House and showed appreciation for the cross-party consensus.

The absence of any real dissent and the generally positive tone throughout the session justifies the rating of 1 for disagreement.