More answers to queries and comments
Below is a further compilation of “Quick Answers” to questions which have arisen during the past couple of weeks; some concern general issues and others relate to a particular judgment. In addition are links to sources of frequently sought data and similar Q&As on other sites.
In anticipation of future queries, on 4 October 2017 the Office of National Statistics (ONS) issued an important data set: Sexual identity, UK: 2016 Experimental Official Statistics on sexual identity in the UK in 2016 by region, sex, age, marital status, ethnicity and National Statistics Socio-economic Classification; this will no doubt provide answers to a number of questions in this area.
The column labelled “Question” is in most cases the search term that has been used to access information on the site. Whilst we welcome a challenge, it will facilitate a response if the search terms are not too cryptic or cover too broad an area to be addressed in a “Quick Answer”. Likewise, this is not a forum on which to seek our personal opinions.
General searches
| Question | Quick Answer | L&RUK Answer |
| church near you changes | Announced 30 August; to be launched in November. | A Church Near You – update, (170830). |
| religious courts in the us | See Pew Research Centre’s Applying God’s Law: Religious Courts and Mediation in the U.S., (130408). | Not an area we have covered specifically. |
| gift declarations hmrc consultation | Changes to GASDS (Gift Aid and Small Donations Scheme) and tax rules took effect in April 2017. See post on UK Fundraising site. | Summary in our 1st October 2017. round-up of news. |
| petition finningley | Petition considered by consistory court | Re Holy Trinity and St. Oswald Finningley [2016] ECC She 2 (160930). |
| law re mobile phone masts | Wi-Fi in churches – health effects, courts’ jurisdiction and locus standi, (150108), and Wi-Fi in churches – evidence, system security and commercial considerations, (150113). | |
| why don’t churches have charity registration numbers? | Churches as charities: some basics, see paragraph on Exception: and legal status as a charity (150904). | |
| vatican 2 council about music | Second Vatican Council: Musicam Sacram – Instruction on Music in the Liturgy | Church music, Vatican 2 and the Council of Trent, (161013). |
| how much is priest fee for c of e funeral | See Recent queries and comments – 26th August | |
| legal rights to ashes uk | Person with “custody and possession” of body determines final disposal of body. | “Public health funerals” and “direct cremation”, (160729). |
| legislation covering church land | Very broad issue covering many issues, so there’s no quick answer. | For starters, see CofE Document Library Pages Church Land and Dealings with ecclesiastical land. |
Case law related searches
| Question | Quick Answer | L&RUK Answer |
| echr objection to blood transfusion on religious grounds | Reference to Convention rights in Birmingham Children’s NHS Trust v B & C [2014] EWHC 531 (Fam). | Jehovah’s Witnesses and objections to blood transfusion, (140310). |
| case law social media expressing religous views | Smith v Trafford Housing Trust [2012] EWHC 3221 (Ch) | Social media, employment, religious views and freedom of speech, (121117). |
| religious affiliation of circumcision | L and B (Children: Specific Issues: temporary leave to remove from the jurisdiction; circumcision) [2016] EWHC 849 (Fam) | Religious circumcision and parental consent: L & B, (160421) |
| clifford bellamy Methodist | N (A Child: Interim Care Order: Interim Removal) [2015] EWFC 40. | Parenting, religion and conflict: N (A Child), (150525). |
Links to sources of frequently sought data
UK legislation, including CofE Measures: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/
UK statistics, various areas: Office for National Statistics, (ONS)
Q&A on other areas of ecclesiastical law
Canon Law Made Easy, Cathy Caridi
Unless marked §, the questions are the search terms used, verbatim; questions arising externally to the blog, (twitter/other), are marked ‡; the dates in parentheses are in the format (yymmdd).
As stated in our General Terms and Conditions, at L&RUK we do not give legal advice, or purport to do so. This post is a summary of recent enquiries and comments, and links to relevant coverage in this blog and elsewhere. With regard to on-going issues, the date of this sourced material is of particular importance. For specific queries on the application of the legislation, professional legal advice should be sought.