Bishop of St Albans asks about impact of AI and smartphone use in schools for children

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 22nd May 2025:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the 5Rights Children and AI Design Code, and what steps they are taking to assess the impact of AI on children.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about improving cyber resilience in the UK

The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on improving the cyber resilience of UK businesses, organisations and government systems on 21st May 2025:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve the cyber resilience of UK businesses, organisations and government systems.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about role of the gambling commission in regulatory action

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 21st May 2025:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure the Gambling Commission complies with its obligations under the Gambling Act 2005, including taking regulatory action against operators if necessary to protect vulnerable people from harm.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about redefining affordable housing to match local incomes

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 21st May 2025:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government whether they plan to redefine affordable housing according to local incomes instead of market rates.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about health inequalities in rural areas

The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on access to mental health support services for those in isolated and rural areas on 20th May 2025, during a discussion on declining life expectancies and poverty related inequalities:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I welcome His Majesty’s Government’s commitment to bringing forward a child poverty strategy. The interaction between mental ill-health and poverty is well known. Will the strategy address access to vital mental health support services, especially for those in more remote rural areas where they are difficult to access?

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Bishop of St Albans asks about reducing microplastics pollution

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 20th May 2025:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what further steps they plan to take to reduce microplastic pollution.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab, DEFRA): Defra recognises the importance of addressing contaminants in soil, including microplastic pollution. To tackle microplastics in soil, we need to tackle plastics up-stream. The plastic problem is one of management, not removal or eradication, to reduce, reuse, and recycle the material we have and not let it escape into, and damage, our environment.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about subsidisation of franchised bus services

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 20th May 2025:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government whether they plan to introduce cross-subsidy between rural and urban areas for franchised bus services where routes exist that are not themselves profitable.

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Archbishops Council, Overseas Trade – Israel & Occupied Territories

On 20th May 2025, Marsha De Cordova MP, on behalf of the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:

Archbishops Council

Danny Kruger MP (Con, East Wiltshire): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, if she will (a) publish the amounts certified under subsection 2(6) of the National Institutions Measure 1998 for each year since that provision came into force and (b) place copies of the annual statutory certificates issued to the Church Commissioners under subsection 2(6) in the House of Commons Library.

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Votes: Data (Use and Access) Bill

On 19th May 2025, the House of Lords debated the Data (Use and Access) Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:

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Bishop of Gloucester asks about recall of offenders on licence

The Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on recall of offenders released on licence to prison on 19th May 2025, criticising a “one size fits all” approach to the issue and raising the risks posed to domestic violence victims:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, as has been said, this stopgap measure really shines a spotlight on the whole issue of recalls, which have grown exponentially in recent years. Some 75% are for non-compliance, which is hugely detrimental to the big aim of transformed lives, which holds both victim and offender together. First, will the Minister assure us that his Majesty’s Government will look at recall in the light of the independent sentencing review, which is soon to be published? Secondly, there will be those in the process whose recall is seemingly for minor breaches, whereas in fact there may be a danger of control and fear instilled in victims of domestic abuse. We need to bring complexity into our thinking, rather than one size fits all. Will the Minister give reassurance to victims of domestic abuse that that is being taken seriously in this policy?

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