parliamentaryunit

Bishop of Durham asks about Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 20th July 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government how many individuals have been resettled under its Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme since the scheme restarted.

Baroness Barran (Con, Home Office): In December 2020, the UK resumed resettlement following a pause due to the pandemic. On 25 February 2021 the Government met its target of resettling 20,000 refugees who have fled the conflict in Syria through the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. Since then, the Government has continued to welcome refugees through the global UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS).

Church Commissioners Written Questions: Singing in Churches

On 20th July 2021, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:

Rachael Maskell (Lab, York Central): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what provisions will be put in place for people who remain concerned about covid-19 infection as singing is reintroduced in churches.

Bishop of London asks about effects of Long COVID:

The Bishop of London received the following written answers on 20th July 2021:

The Lord Bishop of London asked Her Majesty’s Government, further to reports that long-COVID disproportionately affects women, what consideration they have given to the production of gender-sensitive guidelines for primary care professionals.

Bishop of Gloucester asks about prosecutions involving survivors of domestic abuse

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 20th July 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the need for improvements in the implementation of the public interest test in decisions about whether to prosecute in cases involving a suspect who may also be a survivor of domestic abuse.

Bishop of Southwark asks about access to cash for vulnerable groups

During a debate on cash infrastructure in the UK on 20th July 2023, the Bishop of Southwark asked a question on the use of cash by vulnerable groups such as the elderly, those with mental health issues, and those on low incomes:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, the data tells us that cash usage is higher among higher age groups, those with mental health issues, those on lower incomes and other categories. Does the Minister agree that what works in terms of digital payments for some groups in society and proves financially viable for major banking institutions simply does not work for large numbers of people in a diocese of 3 million such as Southwark, and many others?

Organ Tourism and Cadavers on Display Bill: Bishop of St Albans welcomes bill, highlights repression of the Uighur minority in China

On 16th July 2021, the House of Lords debated the Organ Tourism and Cadavers on Display Bill [HL] in its second reading. The Bishop of St Albans spoke in support of the bill, bringing up the persecution of the Uighur minority in China:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I too support this Bill and welcome the very excellent speech by the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, and this important priority to equalise the law so that, whether a body or an organ comes from someone in this country or some other part of this world, they will be given the same protections and treated with the same dignity.

Noble Lords have already spelled out with great and horrifying clarity some of the allegations of organ harvesting by the Chinese authorities targeting minorities. I have risen to speak today because I have been raising again and again in this House the issue of the Uighurs, and this absolutely touches on what is happening to this incredibly persecuted group of people. It is terrifying to see what is unfolding before our very eyes. In June 2021, a group of independent UN experts said that they had received information that detainees from ethnic and religious groups such as the Uighurs, Tibetans, Falun Gong and Chinese Christians were being subjected to examination without their consent, with the express intention to facilitate organ allocation.

Bishop of St Albans asks about building insulation regulations

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 16th July 2021:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Greenhalgh on 28 June (HL1204, HL1205), what assessment they have made of reports that leaseholders, despite having an EWS1 form certifying that their building’s external wall system has been assessed for safety by a suitable expert, are unable to sell their leases on account of lenders refusing to offer mortgages.

Skills and Post-16 Education Bill: Bishop of Durham backs amendments on mental health support for students

On 15th July 2021, the Bishop of Durham spoke in a debate on the Skills & Post-16 Education Bill, expressing his support for amendments focused on supporting students’ mental health:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I particularly want to support Amendment 63, but also the others in the group. Just last month, in June 2021, the DfE itself published a report, Student Mental Health and Wellbeing, based on research done before the pandemic. It points out that 96% of institutions ask their students about their mental health but only 41% ask them about their general well-being. It also notes that only 52% of universities would say that they have a “dedicated strategy” for the mental health and well-being of their students. So the DfE’s own report, from last month, highlights that there is plenty of work to be done on universities having proper, dedicated strategies around mental health and well-being—particularly on the well-being side.

Skills and Post-16 Education Bill: Bishop of Durham speaks in favour of amendments on SEND provision in further education

On 15th July 2021, the House of Lords debated amendments to the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill in the second day of the committee stage. The Bishop of Durham spoke in favour of amendments 41 & 43, which would clarify language around provision for special educational needs & disabilities and require that further education settings regularly review their SEND offer:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I first need to declare my interest as chair of the National Society. I should also apologise that I was unable to take part in Second Reading because of other engagements; my noble friend the Bishop of Leeds spoke in my stead. I also need to apologise for a complete error on my part in not being available to speak to Amendment 11, to which my name was added, during day one of Committee; that was entirely an administrative error at my end.

However, I now enter into the debate on a very small matter, on Amendment 41, on which I simply want to endorse the comments made by the noble Lord, Lord Addington, about the phrase “from time to time”. The language seems too loose. The word “regularly” implies something more frequent without expressing exactly what that regularity is. Put simply, regular review that connects with potential changing local needs makes good sense. The amendment simply tightens this up.

Bishop of Durham asks about investment in rail services in the north-east of England

On 15th July 2021, the Bishop of Durham asked a question on government plans to improve rail services in the north-east of England, following a discussion on frequency of services on the east coast mainline network:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I declare an interest as a regular LNER user. I have a lot of sympathy with the noble Lord, Lord Beith. I recognise that connections from Darlington, Durham and Newcastle are northwards as well as southwards. Will the Minister comment on how local services such as those from Bishop Auckland to Middlesbrough and the possible reopening of Durham to Sunderland need to be invested in for the economic growth of the north-east as a whole?

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