On 14th December votes were held in the House of Lords on the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill during its ‘ping-pong’ stage between Houses. Bishops supported two motions tabled by Peers to insist on amendments to the Bill that had been turned down by the Government in the House of Commons.
Author: parliamentaryunit
Bishop of St Albans asks Government to weigh financial and health costs of gambling
On 14th December the Bishop of St Albans asked a question during exchanges on a statement about the Government’s Gambling Review:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans [V]: My Lords, it is true that we cannot cost the human hurt and pain, but the Statement praised the tax receipts and employment benefits that come from the gambling industry but did not mention any of the financial costs of gambling-related harms. Will the Minister assure the House that, as part of the evidence-based approach, the review will include research into the cost of gambling-related harms—for example, for the 14 clinics dealing with gambling addictions, the cost of trials and imprisonment, the cost of JSA claims and the terrible cost of suicides—to ascertain whether the gambling industry is really a net contributor to the Treasury, as the Government claim?Bishop of Salisbury asks Government about missing its tree planting targets
On 14th December during exchanges in the House of Lords on work of the Committee on Climate Change, the Bishop of Salisbury asked about tree planting targets:
The Lord Bishop of Salisbury [V]: My Lords, the Government have made a number of statements, which, with the 10-point plan and the upping of the nationally defined contributions to the Paris Agreement, are very welcome. The Government’s manifesto commits to planting 30,000 hectares of trees per year. That is a really key target to aim for in relation to the climate change committee’s report, but it is one that we have missed by 71% in the last year and consistently over previous years. I much admire the Prime Minister’s ambition, but how are the Government to ensure that performance exceeds or matches that ambition?Continue reading “Bishop of Salisbury asks Government about missing its tree planting targets”
Week in Westminster, 7th-11th December 2020
Parliament met in Westminster and online this week. The Bishop of Newcastle was on duty in the House of Lords and read prayers at the start of each sitting day.
She asked a question on the effect of international aid cuts on vaccines for malaria, and took part in votes.
The Bishop of Worcester asked about a national child poverty strategy.
The Bishops of Coventry, Southwark and Leeds received written answers to questions about use of cluster munitions, protection of refugees, and religious and cultural sites in Nagorno Karabakh.
The Bishop of Oxford asked Government about age ratings for content on streaming platforms.
The Bishop of St Albans sponsored amendments on parliamentary oversight, and human rights, to the Government’s Trade Bill. He and other bishop voted in support of amendments to the Bill.
The Bishop also asked Government about gambling related harms, and their Agriculture Transition Plan. He received written answers to questions on armed conflict and food shortages in Ethiopia, and whether UK purchased PPE had been made using Chinese forced labour in China.
The Bishop of Peterborough asked Government to make retrospective pension entitlements of some remarried war widows.
The Bishop of Salisbury received a written answer on a potential environmental governance gap after the end of the Brexit transition period.
Bishops took part in votes on the UK Internal Market Bill and a report into the conduct and suspension of a Member.
The Second Church Estates Commissioner answered a written question on landholdings.
Bishop of Peterborough presses Government to rectify problem with war widows’ pension payments
On 10th December 2020 the Bishop of Peterborough asked Government when it would make retrospective the ability of war widows to retain pension entitlements if they remarried before the law changed:
The Lord Bishop of Peterborough [V]: My Lords, David Cameron, under whose premiership the new rules came in, has admitted that the current situation is a mistake and was not intended. It is manifestly unjust and betrays those who have served our country. The ridiculous rule that people could rectify the situation by divorcing and then remarrying undermines the institution of marriage. Does this not make it entirely justifiable to overturn, or at least suspend, the policy to which the Minister refers?Church Commissioners written answer: landholdings
On 10th December the Second Church Estates Commissioner Andrew Selous MP answered a written question on landholdings from Kerry McCarthy MP:
Kerry McCarthy (Labour, Bristol East): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will place in the Library a digitised map of all Church Commissioner landholdings.
Bishop of St Albans asks if Uighur forced labour was used to produce UK PPE
On 10th December the Bishop of St Albans received a written answer to a question on whether Uighur forced labour had been used in production of PPE bought by Government for use in the UK:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether Uighur forced labour was used in the production of personal protective equipment purchased by the UK from Medwell Medical Products; and what plans they have to implement due diligence checks to ensure that items purchased by the UK have not been produced using such forced labour. [HL10106]
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks if Uighur forced labour was used to produce UK PPE”
Bishop of Salisbury asks about environmental protection after end of Brexit transition period
On 10th December the Bishop of Salisbury received a written answer to a question on a potential environmental governance gap after the end of the Brexit transition period:
The Lord Bishop of Salisbury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures are in place (1) to prevent, and (2) to minimise the impact of, any environmental governance gap after 31 December. [HL10783]
Votes: UK Internal Market Bill
On 9th December 2020 the House of Lords again considered the Government’s UK Internal Market Bill, after the Commons had considered – and rejected – amendments passed by the Lords.
Votes were held on Motions to disagree with the Commons and propose further amendments in their place. The Bishops of Leeds and Newcastle took part in two of those votes, details below: Continue reading “Votes: UK Internal Market Bill”
Bishop of Newcastle asks about effect on malaria vaccine of cut in development aid
On 9th December the Bishop of Newcastle asked a question in the House of Lords during exchanges on funding for developing a malaria vaccine:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I thank the Minister for his answers, but I am concerned that he cannot give a specific commitment that the cut in development aid funding will not affect the development of this vaccine.Does the Minister accept that now is not the time to slacken our efforts in the search for a malaria vaccine? We have heard of hopeful improvements before, but history has shown that complacency and slacking off will lead to resurgence.
Does the Minister also accept that it has taken us more than four decades to recover the ground lost since the 1970s, when anti-malaria funding dried up, and that we must not allow that to happen again?
The Church of England in Parliament 
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