Author: parliamentaryunit

Bishop of Peterborough speaks on NHS public contracts regulations

On 25th March 2015 the Bishop of Peterborough, Rt Revd Donald Allister, spoke in a debate in the House of Lords on NHS public contracts regulations. The Bishop raised concerns over the haste with which the regulations had been brought forward. The text of his contirbution is below, followed by the relevant sections of the Minister’s response:

14.02 PeterboroughThe Lord Bishop of Peterborough: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, for bringing this Motion. I will speak only very briefly because he has given most of the detail and said most of what I want to say, particularly about the confusion in the tendering and commissioning process. Integrating health and social care is obviously right—I very strongly support it—but why the rush? Why not do it slowly and carefully? If I understand aright, Scotland has entered a lengthy, considered stakeholder consultation and will finalise its regulations on health and social care at the same time, by April 2016, along with the majority of EU member states. So why do we have to go so quickly? I do not understand the rush in one-half of the equation, which unbalances the whole thing.

Continue reading “Bishop of Peterborough speaks on NHS public contracts regulations”

Bishop of Portsmouth responds to the budget statement

On 25th March 2015 the Bishop of Portsmouth, Rt Revd Christopher Foster, spoke in the debate in the House of Lords on the Budget Statement for 2015-’16. The Bishop raised encouragement of personal saving, the income tax threshold, and future welfare reform, amongst other issues. The text of his speech is below:

14.04.09 Portsmouth maiden speech 1The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: My Lords, it is right to acknowledge what is good and encouraging in the economic situation—particularly compared to the background of five years ago—and in much of what the Chancellor announced last week, and I am glad to do so. I warmly welcome the continuing fall in the number of people unemployed and, among the proposals, funding for wi-fi in public libraries, investment in transport infrastructure in the north of England, a boost to charities through the raising of the small donations gift aid limit and the extra allocation for mental health services for children and for new mothers, especially when half of my Bishop’s Lent appeal in Portsmouth diocese is to support local mental health charities. I am pleased, too, to hear of the planned rise in the minimum wage, though longing for the living wage to become the norm. There is much to welcome but, as I have indicated, with some caveats.

Continue reading “Bishop of Portsmouth responds to the budget statement”

Bishop of Derby speaks on protection for victims of trafficking and forced labour

On 25th March 2015 Bishop of Derby, Alastair Redfern, spoke in the House of Lords’ consideration of the Commons’ amendments to the Modern Slavery Bill.

Bishop of DerbyThe Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, I, too, pay tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Hylton, for his inspirational leadership on this issue. He has frequently expressed that this is a moral and a practical issue, which is why we take it so seriously. I am also grateful for the way that the Government have responded positively to the discussion around the noble Lord’s first amendment, for which I voted. However, I am afraid that I cannot support this amendment, for reasons much along the lines of the noble Lord, Lord Deben. Continue reading “Bishop of Derby speaks on protection for victims of trafficking and forced labour”

Archbishop of Canterbury asks Government about Nigerian Presidential election

On 25th March 2015 the Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, received an answer to a written question about the forthcoming Presidential election in Nigeria:

Archbishop of CanterburyThe Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the prospects for a free and fair Presidential election in Nigeria in 2015, and (2) progress made by the Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission towards minimising the possibility of electoral fraud. [HL5761]

Continue reading “Archbishop of Canterbury asks Government about Nigerian Presidential election”

Bishop of Peterborough highlights rural deprivation

On 25th March 2015 Lord Phillips of Sudbury asked Her Majesty’s Government whether they would establish a Royal Commission to investigate threats to community life in the United Kingdom and their effects; and to recommend counter-measures. The Bishop of Peterborough, Rt Revd Donald Allister, asked a supplementary quesion:

14.02 PeterboroughThe Lord Bishop of Peterborough: My Lords, community life struggles and suffers very much in rural areas as well as in urban areas. While welcoming the promise of a 95% rollout of superfast broadband, does the Minister appreciate that the other 5% represents more than 3 million people who are almost all in rural areas and will not have access to superfast broadband or, all too often, to post offices, gas supplies, public transport, local schools and so on? Is this not the time to have a royal commission?

Baroness Williams of Trafford (Lords Spokesperson, Department of Business, Innovation and Skills): My Lords, the right reverend Prelate is correct when he says that some of the infrastructure in rural communities, such as shops, schools, and post offices in particular, is their lifeblood. I commend the rural communities in, for example, Cumbria that have done their own social action project to make sure that broadband gets to their communities. The right reverend Prelate is right that the remaining 5% of the population do not having superfast broadband, but the Government are working on that.

(via Parliament.uk)

Bishop of St Albans highlights role of churches in building peace and stability in Ukraine

“We need a more adequate humanitarian response to the human suffering resulting from the conflict, and to support and strengthen the efforts of the churches and faith communities of Ukraine for justice and peace.” – Bishop of St Albans, 24/3/15

On 24th March 2015 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, took part in a debate tabled by Lord Tugendhat “that this House takes note of the Report of the European Union Committee on The EU and Russia: before and beyond the crisis in Ukraine (6th Report, HL Paper 115)”.

 

Bishop of St AlbansThe Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I add my congratulations on the maiden speech of the noble Earl, Lord Oxford and Asquith, and I thank the noble Lord, Lord Tugendhat, for securing this debate, which provides a valuable space in which to explore the multifaceted and fast-changing situation in the region. The EU Committee’s report has opened a welcome opportunity to reassess the UK’s relationship with both Russia and Ukraine on a bilateral level and as part of the EU. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans highlights role of churches in building peace and stability in Ukraine”

Welcome for Budget announcement on extra funds for church roof repairs

During a House of Commons debate on the Budget statement, Rt Hon Canon Sir Tony Baldry MP welcomed the announcement of extra funding for church roof repairs, in his capacity as the Second Church Estates Commissioner:

14.01 CCQ Baldry

I should firstly, in my capacity as Second Church Estates Commissioner, and soon to be Chair of the Church Buildings Council, like very sincerely to thank the Chancellor the £40 million announced in the Budget towards the repairs of church roofs. This is in addition to the £15 million for the Church Roof Funds made available by the Chancellor a little while ago and £20 million made available for repairs to our cathedrals. Continue reading “Welcome for Budget announcement on extra funds for church roof repairs”

Church of England Week in Westminster 16th – 20th March 2015

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

cropped-palace_of_westminster_london_-_feb_2007.jpgThis week, bishops in the House of Lords took part in debates on affordable childcare, plain packaging of cigarettes and support for interpreters working in conflict zones.

The bishops also asked questions on access to justice, religious and ethnic minority communities in Iraq and Syria, homelessness, forestry and food security

The Second Church Estates Commissioner, the Rt Hon Canon Sir Tony Baldry MP, answered questions on funding mission and ministry and on Richard III and welcomed the Budget announcement of extra funding for church roof repairs.

Continue reading “Church of England Week in Westminster 16th – 20th March 2015”

Bishop of Winchester asks Government about support for religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria

On 19th March 2015  Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty’s Government “what is the strategy of the United States-led coalition for clearing the Daesh out of the territories which they currently occupy in Syria and Iraq.” The Bishop of Winchester, Rt Rev Tim Dakin, asked a supplementary quesion:

Bishop of WinchesterThe Lord Bishop of Winchester: My Lords, even if the current operations to clear Daesh prove successful, the ancient religious and ethnic minority communities in Iraq have an uncertain future. Does the Minister agree with the statement recently submitted by the Holy See to the United Nations Human Rights Council? It said that a future without these communities in Iraq and the Middle East risks,

“new forms of violence, exclusion, and the absence of peace and development”.

Therefore, what steps are being taken to secure the future of those communities, and in particular, their human right to religious freedom? Continue reading “Bishop of Winchester asks Government about support for religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria”

Church Commissioners answers to written questions on Funding Mission & Ministry and the reburial of King Richard III

tony CCQ1The Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Canon Sir Tony Baldry MP, answered written questions from Anne McIntosh MP relating to the funding of mission & ministry in the Church of England and Hugh Bayley MP relating to the reburial of King Richard III.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners answers to written questions on Funding Mission & Ministry and the reburial of King Richard III”