Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Pakes and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 3rd September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Pakes (Peterborough) (Lab/Co-op)]

4. What assessment the Church of England has made of the level of persecution of Christians overseas.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. May I remind Members that they are meant to stand up when asking a question? We are back to school; this is the first day of term. Let’s get some memory power!

[Marsha De Cordova]

The Church remains deeply concerned about the ongoing worldwide persecution on the grounds of faith and belief, including recent cases in Sudan, Afghanistan, Palestine, India and many others, and all these countries have featured high on the most recent Open Doors world watch list. Alongside the UN Secretary-General, the Church believes that whenever one minority group is persecuted, no one is safe.

Business of the House

Debate between Andrew Pakes and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 19th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I will now bring in the Member of Parliament for Peterborough.

[Andrew Pakes (Peterborough) (Lab/Co-op)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

As the Member of Parliament representing the constituency where the temple is based, may I put it on record that I am deeply disappointed not to have had a conversation with the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman), who has used parliamentary privilege to state some untruths about something that is subject to legal action?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Members cannot use the word “untruths”. There may have been a misunderstanding, but we certainly must not have “untruths”.

[Andrew Pakes]

I am sorry, Mr Speaker, and I apologise to the House. The hon. Member for Harrow East has stated things that are not factual in relation to this.

One of the great blessings I have as a Member of Parliament is joining communities to celebrate festivals such Diwali, Hanukkah and Vaisakhi. In the coming hours, I will be joining many members of my community to celebrate Eid. Does the Leader of the House recognise the divisive, exclusionary, hateful language that some people have used to describe a community iftar in recent days? That has shown that it is not about British values; seeking to divide and to drive hatred is the antithesis of that. Will he join me in wishing well all those who will be taking part in Eid in the Park in Peterborough in the coming hours, showing off the best of my city? Will he also provide parliamentary time for a debate on the language that we use about social cohesion and bringing our faiths together rather than dividing them?