Updated 26 July (video recordings added)
Today, the final Friday, was originally intended to be used only for closing statements from the lawyers representing the various parties. However, it was announced at the end of Thursday that an additional witness would be called first on Friday morning. This turned out to be David Bonehill, Claims Director of EIG and and John Titchener, Group Compliance Director of EIO.
The Church Times has a report of what happened: IICSA reprimands Ecclesiastical over earlier advice to C of E and evidence to Inquiry
Video recordings of today’s session are available, part one, and part two.
List of documents adduced on day 10 seven of which have now been published, links here.
Why aren’t insurers who systematically lie to enquiries closed down? This isn’t a minor misspeaking, this is a consistent and organised dishonesty, with misleading evidence and disingenuous redaction? Or, if Ecclesiastical are to continue in business as a dishonest company who lie, why is the Church of England using them as an insurer? Wouldn’t Justin Welby think that the honesty of the insurers had a bearing on his decision to pay them their premiums?
“EIO is an insurer. It is a commercial organisation. And perhaps some of the difficulties for claimants here arise because they expect EIO to behave towards them rather more as if it was the church”
~ Mr. Rory Philips QC [Counsel for the Ecclesiastical Insurance Office – EIO] – IICSA – 12/07/2019
“EIO is an insurer. It is a commercial organisation”
In which case, the Church of England has the free choice to insure itself with any other such commercial organisation. Their choice to use an insurer who is dishonest, and dishonest in a way which by a remarkable coincidence happens to align with the Church of England’s interests, reflects badly on them. The effect is that the CofE can blame their insurer, their insurer can blame “being a commercial organisation”, but as insurer’s interests are actually aligned the CofE gets to shelter behind commercial issues that would otherwise not affect them.
Mr. Rory Philips QC, representing Ecclesiastical Insurance Office: “EIO is an insurer. It is a commercial organisation”
That’s as maybe, but it is bound by a strict professional Code of Ethics and Conduct – moral imperatives – which are often of a higher standard to that of the Church.
IICSA Inquiry – Friday – 12/07/2019 Q. = Ms McNeill [IICSA] A. = John Titchener [Group Compliance Director for the Ecclesiastical Insurance and David Bonehill [UK Claims Director for the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group] Q. – Do you think that as the victim, should have had to wait or fight as long as he has in order for this to be clarified on the record? A.1 – No Q. – Ms McNeill reads from the guiding principles of Ecclesiastical, focusing on the fact that treatment of survivors should not be negative or worsen their well being. She asks, in their handling… Read more »
Although Ecclesiastical were in breach of their own professional code of conduct – which they admit – I don’t think they have been “a dishonest company who lie”. But with that said, it makes me wonder how complicit this commercial, legal insurance giant was regarding Reverend Graham Sawyer, who said to the IICSA in July last year: “The sex abuse that was perpetrated upon me by Peter Ball pales into insignificance when compared to the entirely cruel and sadistic treatment that has been meted out to me by officials, both lay and ordained. I know from the testimony of other… Read more »
The fact that EIO were recalled to the Inquiry after some of the evidence they gave proved to be inaccurate reflects very badly on them. It will be interesting to see what the report says about this.
I don’t think Winckworth Sherwood [John Rees] are going to be immune from criticism either.
From today’s transcript (statement by Mr. Chapman, beginning at 46:8): I said I would try to identify more general factors 9 that identify high-risk institutions. These are, 10 firstly, size. Large institutions cannot change their 11 culture and practice quickly. We know, for example, in 12 the Anglican Church the church has a presence in 13 virtually every locality, from small hamlets to major 14 cities, but it is also an international organisation. 15 We heard — we didn’t hear, but it is in 16 Archbishop Welby’s statement about how his typical 17 congregant is a woman in her 30s… Read more »
Ecclesial literacy has never been very high on the agenda of the 105th occupant of St Augustine’s throne. But this illiteracy feeds other forms of illiteracy, as we are seeing only too clearly – not least in the IICSA. It demonstrates why the business model is fundamentally flawed.
This is only a start. But it is an important start.
https://educationpriest.wordpress.com/2019/07/13/our-archbishop-is-baffled-what-are-we-going-to-do-about-deference-in-the-church-of-england/