Lord spiritual argues for religious exemption to child abuse law

A Church of England bishop has used his reserved seat in the House of Lords to argue for religious exemptions to mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse.

Speaking in a debate on Tuesday, the bishop of Manchester David Walker (pictured) said there was an "arguable case" for exempting child sexual abuse revealed during confession.

The bishop's claim contradicts the recommendation of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) that mandatory reporting should "not be subject" to religious exemptions, including abuse revealed during "sacramental confession".

Walker said the tradition of "the seal of the confessional" had been "honoured for many centuries "and was "established in canon law in this land".

"I know my Catholic colleagues will particularly be concerned around that", he added.

Research has found that sexual abusers within Catholic clergy have used confession to disclose their abuse and absolve themselves of guilt, in the knowledge that their abuse would not be reported. This enabled the continuation of abuse.

Walker's intervention comes as the Government seeks to introduce a mandatory reporting law through its Crime and Policing Bill.

The National Secular Society has long campaigned for mandatory reporting with no religious exemptions. It also works to end reserved seats for 26 Church of England bishops in the Lords.

In November, the erstwhile archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was forced to resign after a review found he "could and should" have done more in response to abuse perpetrated by John Smyth.

Home Office receives religious delegation to discuss exemptions

Responding to Walker, Home Office minister David Hanson said: "I have received at the Home Office a delegation from a cross-religious group to discuss the very issue".

Hanson committed to exploring exemptions further with churches, and hoped religious exemptions could be debated in parliament.

In 2023, eight Anglican bishops, including one lord spiritual, actively opposed mandatory reporting of abuse revealed in the confessional. Among them was the bishop of Chichester Martin Warner, who sits on the bishops' bench. The Church of England said it 'doesn't know' if the confessional should be exempted.

NSS: 'Grotesque use of unjustifiable ex officio seat'

National Secular Society spokesperson Alejandro Sanchez said: "The bishop's intervention is a grotesque use of his unjustifiable ex officio seat in the Lords.

"Reserved seats in the legislature for one denomination of one religion flies in the face of equality and fairness. To use that privileged position to argue for religious exemptions to the mandatory reporting of child abuse is beneath contempt.

"Rather than using the bishops' bench to undermine the recommendations of IICSA, the Church would do well to reflect on its own dismal record on child sexual abuse.

"It is also deeply concerning that the Government appears willing to entertain religious exemptions to mandatory reporting.

"They should abide by the recommendations of IICSA and ensure a robust mandatory reporting law with no religious exemptions is introduced."