Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the review by Colin Bloom Does government 'do God?' An independent review into how government engages with faith, published on 26 April 2023, in particular, the recommendation that "more could be done to resource and equip policy makers and officials to increase their level of awareness and discernment regarding intrafaith issues concerning exploitation and abuse"; and what steps they are taking in response.

We are grateful to Colin Bloom for setting out his independent recommendations on how government can improve engagement with faith, both in terms of recognising the contribution of faith communities and addressing harmful practices where they occur.

As part of our work to consider the response to the recommendations in the Bloom Review, we have engaged with a broad range of faith and belief stakeholders to understand the nuances of the recommendations and their impact on faith and belief communities, and to help us understand how some of the recommendations might work in practice.

Government will carefully consider all recommendations of the review and will respond in due course. This will include considering the review’s recommendations in relation to faith-based exploitation and abuse, and the importance of faith literacy more broadly.