Author: parliamentaryunit

Bishop of Durham asks about appointment of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary

On 27th October 2022, the Bishop of Durham asked a question about the suitability of the appointment of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, in response to a Commons Urgent Question on her resignation and reappointment:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I do not come at this from any party-political angle. The question in my mind is this. Even if all the justifications are correct—and there are big questions about that—was it wise, in seeking to offer integrity and leadership, to appoint someone so rapidly who had raised so many questions about whether she was suitable to hold the office?

Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con): Ms Braverman apologised. She resigned from a great office of state. She accepted the remedies of the Ministerial Code. Things then moved on at great speed. We have different circumstances. We have a Government who need to deliver for the British people in difficult economic circumstances. She needs to be able to play her part in making our borders safer and better, and she needs the support of this House.

Hansard

Bishop of Southwark asks about corruption in Zimbabwe

The Bishop of Southwark asked a question about corruption during a debate about treatment of opposition activists in Zimbabwe on 27th October 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, the diocese of Southwark is linked with four of the five Anglican dioceses in Zimbabwe and the neighbouring diocese of Rochester with the fifth, Harare. Does the Minister agree that the systemic corruption and long-standing poor level of governance in Zimbabwe continually undermine civil society and reduce the well-being of the people and all the institutions there, including the Church?

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Bishop of Durham asks about indeterminate prison sentences

The Bishop of Durham asked a question about the impact of prison sentences on children and families during a debate on prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPP) on 27th October 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, as it happens, I was confirming in His Majesty’s Prison Holme House on Monday. One of the people I confirmed was an IPP prisoner. We talked about the desperate impact on family and children of the uncertainty that he has faced. He had been recalled, not for having committed an offence but for breaking conditions. It is very complicated. In looking at this, will His Majesty’s Government look at the impact on children and family and the support from not just the probation service but other organisations, such as, in the north-east, Nepacs and Junction 42?

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Bishop of St Albans asks about cold weather payments

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 27th October 2022:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to review the Cold Weather Payment given increased energy costs.

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Bishop of Southwark asks about prison sentences

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 27th October 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government, what steps they are taking to resolve the situation that 608 prisoners under Imprisonment for Public Protection are at least 10 years over their original tariff.

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Bishop of Durham’s Bill to remove the two-child limit for universal credit passes to next stages

The Bishop of Durham tabled a motion for his Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill to be discharged from the committee stage on 26th October 2022. No amendments had been tabled by other Members to the Bill, so it passed Committee Stage and proceeds to its final Lords stage, Third Reading:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: That the order of commitment be discharged.

My Lords, I understand that no amendments have been set down to this Bill and that no noble Lord has indicated a wish to move a manuscript amendment or to speak in Committee. Unless, therefore, any noble Lord objects, I beg to move that the order of commitment be discharged.

Motion agreed.

Hansard

Bishop of Southwark asks about funding of non-governmental organisations in Palestine:

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 26th October 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government which Palestinian registered non-governmental organisations they fund; and with which they have contact.

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Bishop of Oxford asks about pre-paid energy meters

The Bishop of Oxford received the following written answers on 26th October 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford asked His Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of (1) forced prepay energy meter installs, and (2) forced prepay energy meter switches, that will take place this winter.

Lord Callanan (Con): The Government does not make an estimate of the number of prepayment meters installed or switched. The energy Regulator, Ofgem, has reported that the number of prepayment meters installed for debt under warrant in 2021 was 49,552.

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Bishop of Exeter asks about protecting green spaces

The Bishop of Exeter asked a question on protecting green spaces during a debate on the 2022 Growth Plan on 25th October 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: My Lords, I thank the Minister for his answers, but how will the investment zones in His Majesty’s Government’s growth plan dovetail with local and neighbourhood plans to protect their green spaces?

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Bishop of Exeter asks about redress for victims of child sexual abuse

The Bishop of Exeter asked a question regarding government plans to support institutions in responding to and organising redress for incidences of child sexual abuse on 24th October 2022, following the publication of a final report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: My Lords, those of us who sit on this Bench, along with all on other Benches in your Lordships’ House, are deeply saddened and ashamed by the harm and suffering experienced by victims and survivors of abuse. I salute the courage of survivors in coming forward to share their stories. We are determined to learn from the mistakes of the past and make the Church as safe a place as possible. That is why we welcome this final report and are already embracing its various recommendations with, for example, the Church of England’s redress board, which has a victims and survivors working group. In this respect, what exactly is the Government’s intention? Is it their preference to support institutions, including the Church, in establishing individual redress schemes? Or is it their intention to create a new overarching external regulatory body in this respect?

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