Author: parliamentaryunit

Church Commissioners’ Written answer: Religious freedom

On 29th November 2017 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Jim Shannon MP about religious freedom.

Jim Shannon(Strangford): To ask the Honourable Member for Meridan, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to support Christians in the UK who face difficulties in following their faith in the (a) workplace and the (b) public forum. Continue reading “Church Commissioners’ Written answer: Religious freedom”

Bishop of Worcester says church can help society improve mental health services for black and ethnic minority communities

On 28th November 2017  Lord Boateng led a debate in the House of Lords “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in improving mental health services for people from black and ethnic minority communities.” The Bishop of Worcester, Rt Revd John Inge, spoke in the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: My Lords, I, too, am very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Boateng, for securing this debate and, like the noble Lord, Lord Ouseley, pay tribute not only to his eloquent introduction but to all he has done in this area. We owe him a great debt of gratitude.​
Some of the evidence which has already been cited—there is lots more— concerning black and minority-ethnic individuals and mental health is a dreadful indictment of our society. One of the most shocking statistics to me is that UK minority-ethnic individuals are 40% more likely than white Britons to come into contact with mental health services through the criminal justice system rather than through referral from GPs or talking therapies. Continue reading “Bishop of Worcester says church can help society improve mental health services for black and ethnic minority communities”

Bishop of St Albans presses Government on anti-littering strategy

On 28th November 2017 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a question he had tabled to Government about its plans to reduce waste. The exchange with the Minister and subsequent questions from other Members are below:

Budget: Reduction of Waste

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they plan to implement action announced in the Budget Statement to reduce levels of waste. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans presses Government on anti-littering strategy”

Bishop of Worcester asks Government to improve mental health treatment and tackle stigma

On 28th November 2017 Baroness Wheeler asked Her Majesty’s Government “what actions they are taking to address the concerns raised by the Care Quality Commission in its review published in October about the particular difficulties faced by children and young people in vulnerable circumstances, such as looked-after children and those with learning disabilities, in accessing mental health care.” The Bishop of Worcester, Rt Revd John Inge, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: Does the Minister agree that there remains, despite lots of good work, a terrible stigma attached to mental health problems? Will he assure us that the Government are committed to tackling it, as we seek to do in the Church, while also improving provision for identification and treatment? Continue reading “Bishop of Worcester asks Government to improve mental health treatment and tackle stigma”

Bishop of Worcester – lifelong learning should be as much about virtue and character as the acquisition of skills

On November 27th 2017  Lord Watson of Invergowrie led a debate in the House of Lords “To move that this House takes note of the case for a comprehensive strategy for life-long learning and adult re-skilling in response to the challenges of technology, productivity, and the changing nature of work.” The Bishop of Worcester, Rt Revd John Inge, spoke in the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: My Lords, I echo the thanks expressed to the noble Lord, Lord Watson, for securing this debate. It is clearly essential for the prosperity of our nation that lifelong learning is made a priority. Following cuts in the recent past, the Budget offered some welcome additional funding, including new funding for training in digital skills and construction, and the announcement of a retraining scheme for adults. The industrial strategy published today is a welcome step forward. Continue reading “Bishop of Worcester – lifelong learning should be as much about virtue and character as the acquisition of skills”

Bishop of Durham praises work of faith-based agencies in tackling domestic violence

On 27th November 2017 Baroness Donaghy asked Her Majesty’s Government “whether the proposed Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill will include measures to prevent violence against women and girls as well as criminal justice measures to deal with perpetrators.” The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, while recognising that faith communities have serious issues of domestic violence abuse within themselves, does the Minister also recognise that they contribute a great deal to tackling it through organisations such as the Mothers’ Union, Restored and Kahrmel Wellness, and that today, 16 days of global action begin to try to raise awareness of domestic violence and abuse? Continue reading “Bishop of Durham praises work of faith-based agencies in tackling domestic violence”

Week in Westminster, 20th-24th November 2017

This week in the House of Lords bishops  spoke in a debate on defence and peacebuilding, and asked questions about religious freedom and the Commonwealth summit, universal Credit, Brexit, food banks, Israel, and schools. The Bishop of Birmingham issued a response to the Autumn Budget statement. The former Bishop of London, Rt Revd Lord Chartres, was introduced to the House as a life peer and took his seat on the crossbenches. Continue reading “Week in Westminster, 20th-24th November 2017”

Bishop of Coventry asks Government about funding for debt advice services

On 22nd November 2017 the House of Lords heard the repeat of a statement made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on Universal Credit. The Bishop of Coventry, Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, responded to the statement:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, I share with the Minister and the House a bit of local information. We find ourselves in an interesting situation in Coventry, with rising employment and yet a 30% increase in usage among those in the city—mostly single males—among whom universal credit has been rolled out. Like others, I very much welcome the changes and I am sure they will help enormously but, at the same time, I still have reservations about whether they have gone far enough and address other issues that some of us on the ground have identified. Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry asks Government about funding for debt advice services”

Bishop of Coventry: Britain has moral responsibility for long-term reconstruction, if involved in conflict

On 23rd November 2017 the House of Lords debated a motion from Lord Soley, “That this House takes note of the case for maintaining United Kingdom defence forces at a sufficient level to contribute to global peace, stability and security.” The Bishop of Coventry, Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, spoke in the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, I join others in commending the noble Lord, Lord Soley, for securing this debate and for framing it in this way. He made it clear that UK defence forces exist not only for the protection and promotion of immediate British interests but to contribute to global peace, stability and security. The scale of that task has obvious implications for the size of the defence budget and its distribution. Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry: Britain has moral responsibility for long-term reconstruction, if involved in conflict”

Autumn Budget 2017 – response from Bishop of Birmingham

Press release from the Church of England website:

Responding today (22nd November 2017) to the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget Statement, the Bishop of Birmingham, Rt. Revd David Urquhart, Convenor of the Lords Spiritual, said:

“The Chancellor’s Budget has gone some way to deal with the immediate problems facing our economy, housing and NHS, but it could have gone much further to help the many at the sharp end struggling to get by.

“Across the country churches support and are in touch with those who experience poverty or financial difficulty as a result of low pay, illness, or debt. The Budget statement provided an opportunity to make a difference to the lives of the most disadvantaged at a time when the cost of living is rising. The country faces substantial financial challenges and the growth forecast downgrades are worrying. But whilst the Chancellor has limited room for manoeuvre, there is more that could have been done to alleviate the situation of those who are struggling to manage. Deficit reduction is important, but should be achieved in ways that promote fairness, generosity, and sustainability. Bishops frequently raise these issues in the House of Lords and in meetings with ministers, and will continue to do so. Continue reading “Autumn Budget 2017 – response from Bishop of Birmingham”