on 21st February 2017, the House of Lords considered the Government’s ‘Bereavement Support Payment Regulations 2017’ in Grand Committee. The Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith, contributed to the debate. Lord Henley responded on behalf of the Government.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans I thank the Minister for his succinct and helpful introduction. I realise that we have already had extensive debates during the passage of the Pensions Bill and I do not wish to impede the progress that we are making with these regulations. Therefore I hope the Minister will not mind if I briefly raise a number of concerns, which I know are shared by my colleagues on the Bench of Bishops, in the hope that Her Majesty’s Government might keep these under review. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans voices concerns over bereavement support payments”
On 21st February 2017, the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a question he had tabled to Government about levels of air pollution in cities. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for DEFRA, Lord Gardiner of Kimble, responded and the follow-up questions of other Peers are also included below.
On 21st February 2017, Lord Harries of Pentregarth asked Her Majesty’s Government “what representations they have made to the government of Indonesia concerning human rights abuses in West Papua”. The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, asked a follow up question about West Papuans being arrested for peaceful demonstrations.
On the 20th February 2017 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Labour MP Jon Trickett about the issuing of security passes to non-staff members.
On the 20th February 2017, the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith, received an answer to a written question about the Government support for a UN inquiry into human rights abuses in Northern Rhakine.
On the 20th February 2017, the Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, received written answers to questions about the situation in Iraq.
On the 20th February 2017, Lord Oates asked the Government “how many secondary schools in England do not currently provide in-school counselling services for their students.” The Bishop of Ely, the Rt Revd Stephen Conway, asked a supplementary question.
On 20th February 2017, Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood asked the Government “what is their response to the recommendation of Michael Gove, the former Secretary of State for Justice, in his November 2016 Longford Lecture that the approximately 500 Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) prisoners “who have been in jail for far longer than the tariff for their offence” should be released.” The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, asked a supplementary question. 
You must be logged in to post a comment.