Earlier this month, Richard was appointed to the Bill Committee for the Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief Bill 2023-24.
The bill is a Private Members' Bill presented by Fiona Brice MP and proposes that the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), is secured as a statutory requirement. It means all further governments must appoint an FoRB envoy and guards against the deprioritisation of this concern.
Richard Fuller MP said:
I value freedom of religion highly. Each year I endeavour to attend the Parliamentary report by Open Doors into the persecution of faith – particularly the Christian faith – across the globe.
Fiona Bruce presented her Bill to put the Prime Minister’s Envoy for Religious Freedom on a statutory basis and her Bill had widespread support across Parliament. I was honoured to be asked by Fiona to be one of the members of the Bill Committee which met last week to consider this short, but important, Bill.
In part it is testimony to Fiona’s tireless work on behalf of people of faith but, as she herself said, the role has an importance far greater than one individual. The Bill passed Committee Stage and will return for its final stage in the House of Commons shortly.