The Government is set to introduce a Bill to remove restrictions preventing Catholics from advising the King on appointments to the Church of England and Church of Scotland, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced. The announcement comes following Burnham, who is Catholic, transferring his constitutional responsibility to advise on Church appointments to the Lord Chancellor, Alex Norris.
Burnham said on September 10 that he was making the statement to “bring to the House’s attention steps the Government is taking regarding Church appointments”.
“Restrictions set out in the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 and the Jews Relief Act 1858 prevent persons professing the Roman Catholic and Jewish faiths only from advising the Sovereign on appointments to the Church of England and Church of Scotland,” he said, announcing the transfer of responsibility.
“It is, however, unacceptable for there to be a legislative bar against people of any faith performing all the functions of my office. The Government will therefore introduce a Bill at the earliest possible opportunity to correct this antiquated and archaic anomaly.”
The relief acts forbid Catholics from advising the Crown on the appointment of Church of England bishops. The issue had been raised in Parliament on October 13, 2025, by MP for Brentford and Isleworth Ruth Cadbury, who asked for an equalities impact assessment on their provisions pertaining to appointing bishops on the advice of a Catholic or Jewish Prime Minister.
MP for Torfaen and then-Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds answered that the Government recognised the historical restrictions and would keep the matter under review, but “given other pressing issues, this is not a current priority.”
Last year, the monarch was represented at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland for the first time. The appointment of Lady Elish Angiolini LT DBE PC KC FRSE as Lord High Commissioner was made possible after both Houses of Parliament in Westminster altered a 1689 law forbidding Catholics from holding the role.
