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2003 Reports Index
 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ETHICS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2003 INTRODUCTION This time last year we reflected on the events of September 11th and how they might impact on international affairs. The report you are now reading was written on the day hostilities commenced in Iraq. How the Committee responded to the impending war on Iraq is dealt with later in the report. Once again we have to say that as a Committee, which is very small in number and which in practice found the convening of meetings not always easy, we have had to confine our attention to a restricted number of issues. The report which follows will deal with the ongoing business of the Committee, and seek to point commissioners to the need for us all to be involved in the issues that tax the mind of the Christian Church collectively. JAMBO KENYA Jambo Kenya is of course the Denominational Appeal which succeeded "Hope for Cambodia". It has now run its course. At the time of writing the Appeal had raised the magnificent sum of £35,368. This means of course that the Appeal exceeded by a significant amount the target that had originally been set of £30,000. Thanks are due to all those congregations who gave to the Appeal, especially to those churches who gave very significant donations. Thanks are also due to the Women's Home and Overseas Committee for organising and contributing to the Appeal in such a generous way. The Committee has been considering future involvement in appeals of this nature. Throughout these appeals the Committee has appreciated the guidance and help of Christian Aid Scotland. We were again very grateful to Mr Fergus Henderson for producing the Jambo Kenya 'Reach Out' Newsletters which were distributed to all the churches and kept the project to the fore. FUTURE DENOMINATIONAL APPEALS The Committee gave a lot of consideration to the direction of future appeals, including looking into the prospect of another committee launching a project. From discussion with the other Scottish Sponsoring Churches it appeared that it would not be possible to continue with the existing arrangement. The Committee therefore considered the practicality of a United Free Church Appeal. Discussions took place with Christian Aid Scotland, and then separately with TEAR Fund as it was felt that it might be opportune to work with that organisation in a new partnership. From discussions it was clear that either option was feasible. We then became aware of the possibility of launching a Joint Appeal under the auspices of both Christian Aid and TEAR Fund. The Committee is excited about the prospects of such a venture. Having supported projects in Asia and Africa, the Committee were of the view that it would be appropriate to extend our field of interest. We were drawn to the opportunities in South America, and informal discussions have taken place with Christian Aid and TEAR Fund. The intention would be to take up an Appeal which might centre on more than one South American country, but with a common theme. After discussion with the Committee on Business and Administration, taking into account wider denominational interests, it would be our intention to firm up on the details of this exciting project with a view to recommending a new Appeal to the General Assembly of 2004. THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT Your Committee has once again appreciated the very detailed and helpful briefings from the Churches' Parliamentary Officer, Rev Graeme Blount. These briefings have assisted the Committee in responding to Consultative Documents from the Scottish Executive. Mr Blount's report is attached as an appendix. During the year the Committee received a copy of the Review of the Work of the Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office carried out by Rev Aled Edwards, Churches National Assembly Liaison officer in Wales. The review highlighted the valuable contribution the Office had made to the churches and to the Scottish Parliament. Two issues were raised in the review, one dealing with staffing levels, and the other with the nature of the relationship with other churches. The review offered the options of full integration with ACTS, the creation of a new separate agency in association with ACTS, or the status quo. Your Committee was unanimously of the view that the existing arrangement was working well. Consideration was also being given during the review process to changing the name from Parliamentary Officer to a title that reflected that the post did not have an advocacy but an enabling role. Among the following matters actively dealt with by the Committee during the year were:- a) Religious Observance in Schools:- the Committee was aware of the difficulty that often exists in schools of having meaningful religious observance. However it was felt strongly that that there was definite value in having a chaplain available in the schools and being a resource to staff and pupils. b) Education: the committee had invited a number of United Free Church members with a special interest in education to work on a response to the Scottish Executive "Debate on Education". The Committee is grateful to those who took part and hopes they might assist in future consultation. The Scottish Executive acknowledged our submission and advised that further consultation was proposed in 2003. CARE OF THE ELDERLY The Committee will be monitoring what use is being made of the leaflets distributed to Kirk Sessions, and would be grateful for any feedback. SCOTTISH CHURCHES COMMUNITY TRUST Vice convener Rev Robert Owens continues to represent us on the trust. The trust is involved with many community projects throughout Scotland, and is looking to develop both urban and rural projects. Since February 2001 when grants and allowances were first awarded to community projects a total of £608,000 has been distributed. Recent awards have included help to support Youth Work, Refugee Centres, Anti-Poverty Work, a Breakfast Club, and Pre-5 Groups. The opportunity is there for individual congregations either on their own or in co-operation with other local churches or agencies to develop a project with significant financial assistance from the Trust. Mr Owens is available to brief churches on how to take advantage of this opportunity. The Committee acknowledges the excellent work done by the Development Coordinator, Mr John Dornan, who has recently left the Trust. SCOTTISH CHURCHES HOUSING AGENCY Rev Tom Ireland continues to represent us on the Agency. The Agency works under the slogan:- "No room for homelessness." It brings together 13 denominations and groupings. It organises "starter packs" for homeless people moving back into a house. It sets up "rent deposit" schemes for those who are unable to get started in rented accommodation through inability to find the necessary deposit. It campaigns on a national level on housing issues, and has been actively involved in the Homelessness Bill recently passed by the Scottish Parliament. Speakers are available to brief churches on the work of the Agency and how to become involved. WAR IN IRAQ Information Technology allows the Committee to receive up to the minute information from a vast array of sources. In particular the Committee is very well briefed by Mr Paul Renshaw, the Co-ordinating Secretary for International Affairs with Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI). Nowhere has this been more true than in response to and comment on the international situation as it has related to the War in Iraq. For example when formulating our own response it was helpful to ponder statements from churches around the world, including one from the leaders of 11 American Denominations including the Presbyterian Church in the USA who wrote to President Bush in these terms:- "It is with the utmost urgency that we seek a meeting with you to convey the message of the religious community. You are no doubt well aware of our activities to slow the rush to war and our continuing uneasiness about the moral justification for war on Iraq." The Committee felt it might be helpful to include in this report the statement that it released to the press at the end of February:- "We recognise that the first responsibility of a government is the defence of its people. In the tragic and evil events of September 11th 2001 our sympathies were wholly for the people of the United States of America. We support the policy of seeking out terrorists whose purpose is to undermine the democratic process. While we appreciate that the American President and our own Prime Minister may have information about Iraq that they cannot disclose because the lives of their informants may be at risk, we are deeply disturbed by the current policy with respect to the United Nations. We are particularly concerned at the constantly reiterated statement that America will go it alone if need be, irrespective of whether the United Nations can come up with a further resolution. We recognise that Mr Blair has expressed a strong preference for a second resolution by the Security Council. We would hope that second resolution would not only be a preferred option but a necessary option. If we reach the stage where any world leader, by sheer force of power, can do what he wants, when he wants, how he wants, and where he wants, whether or not he has the support of the United Nations, then such a man is capable of tyrannising others. Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely. The United Nations is defective and in need of reform but it is also the nearest thing we have to a world authority. For any nation to bypass that body in the way that is being contemplated at the present time will inevitably contribute not to the strengthening of the United Nations but to its further weakening. We are firmly of the view that the inspection team currently operating in Iraq must be allowed adequate time to do its work thoroughly and independently and that it should be accountable to the United Nations alone." The concern of the Committee is that the emphasis should be on humanitarian aid and the reconstruction of the country after the conflict. BIOTECHNOLOGY The Committee continues its longstanding interest in the area of bioethics. We responded to a consultation on "Sex Selection" from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. Sex selection means any practice, technique, or intervention which increases the likelihood of the birth of a child of one sex rather than the other. This technique is already licensed by the HFEA to avoid serious sex-linked genetic conditions such as haemophilia. The Committee submission was firmly of the view that it did not want to see any expansion of the availability of techniques allowing parents to select the sex of their child for non-medical reasons. It should be noted that the consistent position of the Committee as sustained by the General Assembly is that nothing should be done to the human embryo which is not for the benefit of that embryo. CONTRIBUTIONS TO ORGANISATIONS The Committee has been concerned that where we are involved with external agencies we should be giving a realistic or proportionate level of support. It was therefore agreed to make substantial increases in the level of our contribution to certain organisations, specifically the Scottish Churches Community Trust, and the Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office. At the time of writing no specific request for financial assistance has come for the proposed new appointment of a part time worker in respect of Scottish Churches Action for Racial Justice. However the Committee would anticipate supporting this project as it has been fully involved in the setting up of the appointment. Scottish Churches Community Trust £1000 Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office £ 500 Scottish Churches Housing Agency £ 400 Society Religion and Technology Project £ 50 VASHTI £ 50 Mediawatch (NVALA) £ 50 Christian Institute £ 50 CARE £ 50 CONCLUSION The Convener would like to express his thanks both to the Vice-Conveners and to a hard-working and enthusiastic Committee. We are indebted to the General Secretary and his staff for an enormous amount of work following Committee meetings and throughout the year. In the name of the Committee ANDREW SCOTT Convener DONALD MACDONALD Vice-Convener ROBERT O OWENS Vice-Convener JOHN O FULTON Secretary

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