On 9th January 2018 Lord Kennedy of Southwark asked Her Majesty’s Government “how many families were homeless over Christmas 2017.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow up question:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, research by the charity Shelter suggests that if current government policy continues as it is, 83% of areas in England will be unaffordable to those on local housing allowances by 2019-20. What assessment have Her Majesty’s Government made of the effect of the freeze on levels of homelessness? When will that freeze come to an end? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about impact on homeless numbers of freeze in local housing allowance”
The Lord Bishop of Southwark:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: Can the Minister confirm that any new provision will be at least as generous as under the Dublin III regulations and that there will be even wider scope for child refugees to join not only parents in the UK but also other relatives such as uncles, aunts, grandparents and adult siblings? Will they also be given the support they need to live safely and in decent conditions? 
On January 8th 2018 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received written answers to three questions on homelessness, welfare reform and empty homes:
On 4th January 2018 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received a written answer to a question on school holiday schemes to combat food poverty:
This week in the House of Lords bishops spoke in debates about increasing support for those facing financial exclusion, the EU Council Statement, post-Brexit trade and reducing the size of the House of Lords. They asked questions about support available to the homeless, an imprisoned Christian convert in Iran, advice for customers about switching energy providers, and anti-democratic forces in Syria. In the House of Commons, the Second Church Estates Commissioner answered a written question about written answer statistics and asked her own question about the new Patterson Inquiry led by the Bishop of Norwich. Parliament rose for the Christmas recess, and will return in January.
On 21st December 2017 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Chris Ruane MP about written answers: 
On 20th December 2017 Baroness Cox asked the Government “what is their assessment of the current situation in Syria”. The Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, asked a follow-up question:.
On the 19th December the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith asked a question he had tabled to Government on homelessness:
On 19th December 2017 Lord Naseby asked Her Majesty’s Government “whether they plan to review their policy on capping domestic energy prices in the light of measures taken by the energy industry to change tariffs to help those most at risk, and to increase competition.” The Bishop of Winchester, Rt Revd Tim Dakin, asked a follow up question, highlighting the work of the Big Church Switch.
The Church of England in Parliament 
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