Comments on: Why are clergy discipline tribunals still exempt from the Freedom of Information Act? https://churchabuse.uk/2026/01/12/why-are-clergy-discipline-tribunals-still-exempt-from-the-freedom-of-information-act/ Highlight continuing safeguarding failures by the Church of England and its Archbishops’ Council Fri, 16 Jan 2026 18:01:16 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 By: editor https://churchabuse.uk/2026/01/12/why-are-clergy-discipline-tribunals-still-exempt-from-the-freedom-of-information-act/#comment-3530 Fri, 16 Jan 2026 18:01:16 +0000 https://churchabuse.uk/?p=412#comment-3530 In reply to Rowland Wateridge.

The difference between C of E tribunals and any disciplinary system established by the Methodist or Roman Catholic Churches, is that Clergy Discipline Tribunals exercise the judicial power of the state – they are legally established by statute law – “Measures”, which have have been approved by Parliament and received royal assent, and having the same status as an Act of Parliament.

]]> By: Rowland Wateridge https://churchabuse.uk/2026/01/12/why-are-clergy-discipline-tribunals-still-exempt-from-the-freedom-of-information-act/#comment-3527 Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:32:17 +0000 https://churchabuse.uk/?p=412#comment-3527 The Freedom of Information Act 2000 applies to defined ‘public authorities’. The Church of England is not a ‘public authority’. As two other similar examples, the Methodist Church in Great Britain and Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales are in exactly the same position. They are not excluded from the Act: they are not included, an important distinction. In all three cases there may be an entitlement to freedom of information in an ancillary public authority role, e.g. management of a school.

]]> By: Opinion – 14 January 2025 | Thinking Anglicans https://churchabuse.uk/2026/01/12/why-are-clergy-discipline-tribunals-still-exempt-from-the-freedom-of-information-act/#comment-3523 Wed, 14 Jan 2026 12:08:42 +0000 https://churchabuse.uk/?p=412#comment-3523 […] Gavin Drake Church Abuse Why are clergy discipline tribunals still exempt from the Freedom of Information Act? […]

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