Author: parliamentaryunit

Bishop of Lincoln raises issues of job retention and carbon emissions during debate on food imports and exports

The Bishop of Lincoln spoke in a debate on import and export of food and agricultural products from the EU on 2nd May 2024, raising examples from his diocese and the issue of carbon prodigality in imports:

The Lord Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I am grateful for this time to say two things about Lincolnshire. One is that 24% of jobs there depend on the food chain, so are deeply impacted by our import and export arrangements. One of the things that has been brought to my attention is that the Grimsby Fish Dock receives its fish from Iceland over the weekend, for auction and distribution on Monday and Tuesday. Will there be enough environmental health officers on duty over the weekend to ensure that these auctions and distribution can take place under these new rules?

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Bishop of Lincoln asks about impact of housing asylum seekers in hotels

The Bishop of Lincoln asked a question on local community approaches to asylum seekers being housed in hotels, during a discussion on asylum seekers missing from their registered addresses on 2nd May 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, the Minister talked about hotels. The population of seaside towns, such as Skegness, have been very welcoming of asylum seekers staying in hotels. In effect, hotels are a way of monitoring the presence of asylum seekers over time. The frustration of people in Skegness and other coastal towns is that the slow progress in processing asylum seekers is having an impact on the tourist industry, the local economy and jobs in these towns. Is the Minister aware of that?

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Bishop of Southwark asks about occupation of part of the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem by Israeli settlers

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 2nd May 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the occupation by Israeli settlers of Cows Garden in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City in Jerusalem on 3 April.

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Bishop of Lincoln responds to government statement on disability funding reform

On 1st May 2024, the Bishop of Lincoln asked a question following a government statement on health and disability reform, raising the high rate of disability among those experiencing homelessness and asking whether disability reform should be focused on meeting the needs of this cohort rather than tightening eligibility for PIP:

The Lord Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I declare an interest as a bishop relating to L’Arche UK and worldwide, which cares for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. The aspiration outlined in the Ministerial Statement to create a Britain in which disabled people can be supported to thrive is one that we all share. At a time of economic challenge, any responsible Government must pursue priorities and make difficult choices, but I have been in your Lordships’ House for 10 years and this kind of Statement reminds me of the circularity of this debate about welfare provision within that 10 years, where we do not seem to have made huge progress. We heard a lot from previous speakers about the varied needs of people with disabilities, some people with temporary health issues and those with severe and enduring mental health conditions. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has noted that almost two-thirds of people living in destitution or direct homelessness have a chronic health condition or disability. These people may be unable to meet their most basic needs to stay warm, fed, dry and clean. Does the Minister agree that energy for further reform of disability benefits might be best applied to meeting the needs of this cohort rather than seeking to make eligibility even tighter?

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Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill: Bishop of Lincoln supports amendments on building and fire safety regulations

On 1st May 2024, the House of Lords debated amendments to the Leasehold and Freedom Reform Bill. On behalf of the Bishop of Manchester, the Bishop of Lincoln spoke in support of amendments tabled by Lord Young of Cookham, aimed at improving accountability of fire and building safety procedures and remediation:

The Lord Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I stand to support the amendments in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Young of Cookham. My right reverend friend the Bishop of Manchester has put his name to the amendments and regrets that he cannot be in his place today. As we have heard, the Building Safety Act 2022 contained welcome measures to address historic building safety defects, but the fact remains, as other noble Lords have noted, that it does not go nearly far enough. Seven years on from the Grenfell fire, only 21% of high-rise blocks have been fully remediated—and they are the ones that are eligible; there remain gaps in provision where leaseholders are disqualified for such arbitrary reasons as their block being 10.9 metres tall rather than, say, 11.1. The Act disqualifies huge numbers of people who are now trapped in potentially unsafe flats which they will struggle to sell. They might face very high bills through service charges and insurance premiums.

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Bishop of Sheffield asks about religious literacy in the UK

The Bishop of Sheffield asked a question on government efforts to support religious literacy in the UK on 1st May 2024, during a discussion on the study of arts and humanities at universities amid staff cuts:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, almost every armed conflict in the world at present has a religious dimension, making informed and respectful dialogue increasingly critical for international peace and security. In that context, the steady decline in the numbers of those studying religion, theology and ethics in our higher education institutions is a cause for real concern. Given the dearth of graduates in these subjects at present, can the Minister tell us how the Government will nurture the necessary religious literacy of our public life in the coming years?

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Bishop of Gloucester asks about allocation of resources to Criminal Cases Review Commission

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 1st May 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of resources allocated to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

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Bishop of Southwark asks about progress on levelling-up targets

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 1st May 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made regarding the 12 targets set out in the Levelling Up the United Kingdom white paper, published on 2 February 2022.

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Bishop of Southwark asks about support for families of police officers and police recruitment

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answers on 1st May 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Orpheopolis system of French orphanages for the orphaned children of police officers; and what assessment they have made of the benefits of introducing such a facility in England and Wales.

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Victims and Prisoners Bill: Bishop of Lincoln supports amendments on duty of candour for public bodies dealing with major incidents

On 30th April 2024, the House of Lords debated amendments to the Victims and Prisoners Bill. The Bishop of Lincoln spoke in support of an amendment tabled by Lord Ponsonby, which “would require public authorities, public servants and officials to act in the public interest and with transparency, candour and frankness when carrying out their duties in relation to major incidents”, referencing the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster and stressing the importance of candour in responses from public bodies:

The Lord Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I support the amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby. My right reverend friend the Bishop of Manchester is also a strong supporter of this amendment, which he has signed, and he regrets that he cannot be in his place today to speak to it himself.

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