On Monday 7th September 2020 the Bishop of Manchester, Rt Revd David Walker, took his oath to become a Member of the House of Lords, joining the Lords Spiritual on the Bishops’ Benches. Bishop David was supported by his two sponsors the Bishops of Birmingham and Worcester, in an introduction ceremony that was modified to accommodate social distancing rules in Parliament.
Continue reading “Bishop of Manchester joins House of Lords”
On 3rd September 2020 the Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Vivienne Full, responded to a Government answer to an urgent question, on refugees.
The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, the Minister referred to the refugee resettlement scheme. However, as far as we can tell, refugee resettlement remains paused since March. Can she tell me what plans the Government have to launch the new global resettlement scheme and why they have continued deportations and not inward refugee resettlement?
Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con): The right reverend Prelate is absolutely right that it has been difficult since March. We took 52 people from Greece back in March but it has been incredibly difficult because of the lack of flights coming here. Of course, that has led, in some sense, to people reverting to trying to get here in small boats, and that is not at all the situation we want because they are simply being exploited. What was the right reverend Prelate’s second point?
The Lord Bishop of Bristol: The global resettlement scheme.
Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con): Obviously we will restart it as soon as it is practical and safe to do so.
Parliament returned from recess this week and met on Wednesday and Thursday, with the Bishop of Bristol beginning each sitting day in the House of Lords with prayers.
The Bishop asked Government for assurances about its commitment to the 0.7% overseas aid target, the refugee resettlement scheme, and about the care of those suffering long-term effects from COVID-19.
The Bishop of St Albans asked a question about tree health and biosecurity.
During the parliamentary recess answers were published to written questions, from the Bishop of Southwark on Windrush compensation, the Bishop of Gloucester on the Female Offenders Strategy and from the Bishop of St Albans on forced marriages.
Continue reading “Week in Westminster, 31st August – 4th September 2020”
On 3rd September 2020 a Government statement on COVID-19 was repeated in the House of Lords. The Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, asked a question about treatment of those with long-term effects:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, North Bristol NHS Trust has recently reported on an audit of 110 patients discharged after being severely ill with Covid-19. Of these, 75% were still experiencing serious symptoms three months later. This is just part of the mounting evidence of the long-term effects of Covid-19 even on those with mild infection in the acute phase. What steps are the Government taking to raise public awareness of so-called long Covid and to invest in the care of those who are now chronically ill? Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol asks about those suffering long-term effects of COVID-19”
In the House of Lords on 3rd September 2020 during questions to Government about the rate of tree planting in the UK, the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked about its tree health resilience strategy:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans [V]: My Lords, it is encouraging to hear about the progress being made, but we are fighting a losing battle if we continue to import saplings rife with diseases that then kill significant numbers of trees. Will the Minister update your Lordships’ House on the tree health resilience strategy and what other steps Her Majesty’s Government are taking to increase biosecurity? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about tree health and biosecurity”
On 2nd September 2020 the Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, asked a question to Government on its commitment to the 0.7% GNI development aid target. The Minister had given a commitment to the fulfilling the Government’s obligations under law to the target in earlier exchanges:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, I have personally seen through the Anglican Communion’s worldwide partnerships the positive impact that the UK’s overseas aid has made to alleviating poverty. I share the concerns of other Peers about the reports of the Government’s intent to overturn the legal commitment to spend 0.7% of gross national income on aid. At the risk of tedium, I hope that the Minister will continue to give this House assurances that the Government have no such plans, which would reduce the UK’s impact under the UN sustainable development goals. Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol asks Government for assurances that 0.7% aid commitment will stay”
During the Parliamentary recess the Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, received written answers to questions on the Windrush Compensation Scheme:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark:
(i) To ask Her Majesty’s Government, what assessment they have made of the efficiency of the rate of compensation payments to those affected by the Windrush Scandal; and what targets they have set for compensating the individuals involved.
(ii) To ask Her Majesty’s Government why Anthony Bryan is yet to receive full compensation under the Windrush Compensation Scheme.
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks Government about delays to Windrush compensation scheme”
On 7th August the Rt Revd Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester, received a written answer to a question from Lord Keen of Elie on the Female Offenders Strategy.
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: HL7520 To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they estimate the Female Offender Strategy will be fully implemented.
Lord Keen of Elie: The Female Offender Strategy (2018) set out our vision to see fewer women entering the justice system and reoffending; fewer women in custody, particularly on short custodial sentences, with more managed successfully in the community; and a custodial environment that enables rehabilitation. The strategy launched an ambitious programme of work to improve outcomes for female offenders and make society safer by tackling the underlying causes of offending and reoffending. This will take several years to deliver, with our planned pilot of a residential women’s centre in at least five sites in England and Wales likely to last until the latter part of this decade.
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks Government about implementation of the Female Offenders Strategy”On 6th August the Rt Revd Alan Smith, Bishop of St Albans, received a written answer to a question from Baroness Williams of Trafford on forced marriage.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL7246 To ask Her Majesty’s Government in how many cases the Forced Marriage Unit provided advice or support related to possible forced marriage (1) to a person aged under 16, (2) to a person aged between 16 and 18, and (3) to a person aged between 18 and 20, in (a) 2014, (b) 2015, (c) 2016, (d) 2017, (e) 2018, and (f) 2019.
Baroness Williams of Trafford: Information on Forced Marriage Unit statistics, including age breakdowns, can be found at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/forced-marriage-unit-statistics. Providing the complete information requested would exceed the word limit for responses to written parliamentary questions so I have attached the following publication from the Forced Marriage Unit Statistics Unit.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about provision of support on forced marriage”On 3rd August the Rt Revd Alan Smith, Bishop of St Albans, received a written answer to a question from Lord Keen of Elie on prosecutions in relation to forced marriages.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL7247 To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prosecutions were initiated in relation to forced marriage in (1) 2014, (2) 2015, (3) 2016, (4) 2017, (5) 2018, and (5) 2019; and how many such prosecutions were successful in each year.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about forced marriage prosecutions”
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