Author: parliamentaryunit

Bishop of Winchester asks Government about access to healthcare for residents of the Occupied Territories

winchester171116

On the 28th March 2017 Baroness Sheehan asked a question about access to healthcare in East Jerusalem for residents from the Occupied Territories. The Bishop of Winchester, Rt Revd Tim Dakin, asked a supplementary question:

The Bishop of Winchester: My Lords, we have heard how the people of the Occupied Territories continue to face challenges accessing emergency care. The diocese of Jerusalem provides hospitals and health centres across this area, but many of the vital facilities and services are not fully operational because the equipment cannot be calibrated and staff lack accreditation. What conversations have Her Majesty’s Government had with the Israeli Government to facilitate the necessary inspections to ensure that these and similar facilities become operational and therefore reduce the reliance of Palestinian people on reaching hospitals in East Jerusalem?

Continue reading “Bishop of Winchester asks Government about access to healthcare for residents of the Occupied Territories”

Votes: Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) (Amendment) Regulations 2017

On 27th March 2017, two votes took place on a Statutory Instrument introducing changes to the regulations governing Personal Independence Payments. The Bishop of Winchester took part in both divisions.
 Continue reading “Votes: Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) (Amendment) Regulations 2017”

Bishop of Winchester supports motion to regret changes to personal independence payments

winchester171116On Monday 27th March 2017, the House of Lords debated a Statutory Instrument introducing changes to the regulations governing Personal Independence Payments. Two motions relating to the regulations were debated, the first a motion to “annul” the regulations, and the second a motion to “regret”. The Bishop of Winchester spoke in favour of the second motion. Lord Henley responded on behalf of the Government. When put to a vote, the motion to annul was defeated, and the motion to regret agreed. Continue reading “Bishop of Winchester supports motion to regret changes to personal independence payments”

Votes – Technical and Further Education Bill – financial support and careers advice

On 27th March 2017 votes took place on the Government’s Technical and Further Education Bill at its Report Stage in the House of Lords. The Bishop of Winchester took part in two Divisions, relating to financial support for apprenticeships and  provision of careers advice:

Continue reading “Votes – Technical and Further Education Bill – financial support and careers advice”

Week in Westminster, 20th-24th March 2017

Welcome to the Church of England’s weekly round-up of activity in Parliament.

This week in the House of Lords the Archbishop of Canterbury paid tribute to those who had lost their lives or been injured in Wednesday’s terrorist attack on Westminster, and those who acted as first responders.The Bishop of Leeds and the Speaker’s Chaplain both wrote in response to the events.

The House of Lords did not sit on Wednesday 22nd, but returned the following day. During the week bishops spoke and voted on the Government’s Digital Economy Bill, and in debates on UK-Russian relations and the impact of Brexit on both Gibraltar and the UK’s rural and farming sector. A question was also put about UK aid to hospitals in Gaza. In the House of Commons Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP answered two written questions, about Church Commissioner salaries and about yoga in church buildings.
Continue reading “Week in Westminster, 20th-24th March 2017”

Bishop of Leeds asks Government about farming and rural policy post-Brexit

On Thursday 23rd March 2017 the House of Lords debated a motion from Lord Teverson “That this House takes note of the Report from the European Union Committee Brexit: environment and climate change (12th Report, HL Paper 109).” The Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, spoke in the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, a number of questions have already been posed, and I pity the Minister for having to go through them in some detail. We heard earlier that we in this Chamber tend to be gloomy, and now we should be cheerful. I am neither; I am just puzzled—which is not a new experience.

From reading the report, which is a model of clarity, as are most of the Brexit reports that come from the various committees, it seems that, as we peel back the layers of the onion, we end up with more layers. I realise that that sounds paradoxical, but it seems to get more and more complex. The other night in the debate on Brexit and Gibraltar I tried to ask some questions about stress testing, to which I got no answer. So I shall try again, focusing very briefly on just one or two questions. Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks Government about farming and rural policy post-Brexit”

Archbishop responds to terror attack on Westminster

On Thursday 23rd March 2017 the House of Lords paid tribute to those who had been killed and injured, and to first responders, during the previous day’s terror attack in Westminster. The House also heard a repeat of the statement given in the House of Commons by the Prime Minister. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby spoke of the “deep values” in British society that give us the strength to persevere:

The Archbishop of Canterbury: My Lords, I associate myself with the thanks and tributes paid today, and especially our prayers and thoughts for PC Keith Palmer and for his family. I also acknowledge the work of so many members of the public who pitched in and did what they needed to do when faced with things for which they had never been trained or prepared. Yesterday afternoon one of our own security staff at Lambeth Palace, a Muslim, arrived at the gate having been very narrowly missed by the vehicle and having spent time helping those who had been injured. It was typical of this community and this country that he refused to go home until the end of his shift and simply spent the time doing his job as he expected.

Continue reading “Archbishop responds to terror attack on Westminster”

Church Commissioners: salaries

On 23rd March 2017 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Jon Trickett MP about pay grades in the Church Commissioners:

Jon Trickett (Hemsworth): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2017 to Question 64993, on procurement, what the pay grades are of the (a) five members of staff in the property investments team and (b) seven members of staff in the investment team. Continue reading “Church Commissioners: salaries”

Church Commissioners: Yoga on church premises

On 23rd March 2017 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Thangam Debbonaire MP about yoga on church premises:

Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what guidance is issued to churches on allowing church premises to be used for yoga classes. Continue reading “Church Commissioners: Yoga on church premises”

Bishop of Leeds asks Government to stress test all scenario outcomes for Gibraltar in leaving the EU

Leeds160620On 21st March 2017, Lord Boswell of Aynho asked Her Majesty’s Government what their response is to the Report from the European Union Committee Brexit: Gibraltar (13th Report, HL Paper 116). The Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, spoke in the debate, asking whether the Government were stress testing the outcomes of leaving the European Union on Gibraltar.

The Lord Bishop of Leeds My Lords, I endorse all that has been said so eloquently. The report is excellent, but for me it raises a number of questions. The main one concerns the fact that throughout the referendum campaign, and subsequently, we have repeatedly heard statements such as, “We will get a good deal”, and, “We will do this and we will do that”, when in fact we do not hold the power in a lot of this—it will have to be negotiated. Despite urging that we get the best for Gibraltar, I want to be assured that the Government are stress-testing all the scenarios, including the worst-case ones. We owe it to the people of Gibraltar to do that because it was not done in preparation for the referendum itself. Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks Government to stress test all scenario outcomes for Gibraltar in leaving the EU”