Author: parliamentaryunit

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about provision of cots for families in social housing

The Bishop of Chelmsford asked a question on provision of cots for families in temporary and social housing on 10th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: May I say on behalf of these Benches, too, how pleased we are to see the noble Baroness back in her place. We know that cots are extremely important for the health and well-being of babies and young children. What is the Government’s policy on the provision of cots to those in social housing? The charity Justlife states that around 25% of temporary accommodation falls under the purview of the social housing regulator. With nearly 140,000 children living in temporary accommodation in England alone, what steps are being taken to ensure that cots are provided for families in temporary accommodation under the purview of the social housing regulator?

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Bishop of St Albans asks about economic costs of obesity in the UK

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 10th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the economic costs of obesity in the UK, following the report Unhealthy Numbers: The Rising Cost of Obesity in the UK by Frontier Economics published on 21 November.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about rates of infant mortality in the UK

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 10th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made towards their target, announced in November 2014, of reducing the rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and brain injuries in babies by 50 per cent by 2025.

Lord Markham (Con, Department of Health & Social Care):  The Government’s National Maternity Safety Ambition is to halve the 2010 rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and brain injuries in babies occurring during or soon after birth by 2025. The ambition also includes reducing the rate of pre-term births from 8% to 6% by 2025.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about use of oral tobacco-free nicotine pouches

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 10th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government:

  • what assessment they have made of the prevalence of the use of (1) oral tobacco-free nicotine pouches and (2) oral tobacco pouches, in England, especially among children and teenagers.
  • what assessment they have made the long-term medical effects of using oral tobacco-free nicotine pouches.
  •  what plans they have to regulate the use of oral tobacco-free nicotine pouches in England.
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Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asks about use of a register for home educated children

The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham received the following written answer on 10th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked His Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Barran on 19 December 2023, what consideration they have given to expediting the introduction of a statutory register of children schooled at home and online, given the rise in those numbers, in order to identify children (1) who are at risk, or (2) who have unmet needs.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about impact of cold weather and winter viruses on the NHS

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 10th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government how they are supporting the NHS to build additional capacity over winter, in light of pressures including high numbers of patients being admitted with winter viruses.

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Bishop of Leicester asks about unaccompanied asylum-seeking children

The Bishop of Leicester received the following written answers on 10th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester asked His Majesty’s Government whether they have made a decision about whether the power under the Illegal Migration Act 2023 for the Home Office to accommodate children will come into force; and if so, when.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Illegal Migration Act received Royal Assent on 20 July 2023. The Act seeks to ensure the only way to come to the UK for protection will be through safe and legal routes and will take power out of the hands of the criminal gangs and protect vulnerable people, including children.

Following the High Court ECPAT judgment and Supreme Court judgment on Rwanda, the Government is carefully reflecting on commencement of the powers in the Act, including those relating to the accommodation and transfer of unaccompanied children.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about railway strikes

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 10th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to minimise disruption from train driver strikes over the festive period.

Lord Davies of Gower (Con, Department for Transport): There are currently no planned train driver strikes over the festive period. However, the ASLEF union has mandates for industrial action ending between February and April for all 14 train operating companies.

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Bishop of Norwich asks about effects of new visa regulations on ministers of religion

The Bishop of Norwich received the following written answer on 10th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich asked His Majesty’s Government further to the Statement by the Secretary of State for Home Affairs on legal migration on 4 December (HC Deb cols 41–43):

  •  what changes, if any, will be made to the existing Tier 2 Minister of Religion visa category.
  • whether raising the minimum income for family visas to £38,700 will apply to ministers of religion with qualifying family dependants, including spouses and fiancées, who are foreign nationals residing overseas.
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Bishop of Southwark asks about territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 10th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking (1) to reduce tensions, and (2) to support efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the territorial dispute, between Venezuela and Guyana.

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