Author: parliamentaryunit

Bishop of Coventry seeks update from Government on recent meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister

On 11th November 2014, the Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, received an answer to a written question on recent meetings between the UK and Egyptian Governments.

13.10 Bishop of CoventryThe Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the government of Egypt’s commitment to freedom of religion and the case for political reconciliation in Egypt were amongst the issues raised by the Prime Minister in his meeting with the Egyptian Foreign Minister on 27 October.[HL2567]

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Anelay of St Johns): The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), raised international concerns about the human rights situation and political inclusiveness in Egypt with Egyptian Foreign Minister Shukri on 27 October. Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry seeks update from Government on recent meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister”

Infrastructure Bill – Division

On 10th November 2014, the Bishop of Lichfield, the Rt Revd Jonathan Gledhill, took part in a division of the House of Lords, on an amendment to the Government’s Infrastructure Bill.

House of Lords Division Lobby
House of Lords Division Lobby

Amendment 113G

Labour Peer Baroness Worthington moved amendment 113G, to insert the new clause Underground access: environmental protection, which sought to create new regulations for the extraction of oil and gas through the process known as fracking.

The Bishop of Lichfield voted ‘not content’. No bishop voted ‘content’.

There were Contents: 141 | Not Contents: 237 | Result: Government Win

(via Parliament.uk)

Bishop of Chester presses Government on carbon capture during Infrastructure Bill debate

On 10th November 2014, the Bishop of Chester, the Rt Revd Peter Forster, took part in the Report Stage of the Government’s Infrastructure Bill. He asked the Minister a number of questions regarding the UK’s carbon reduction commitment, carbon capture by power stations, and the UK’s strategy for oil and gas extraction. The amendments that the Bishop spoke to were withdrawn following the brief debate.

14.03 Bishop of ChesterThe Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, can I ask the Minister when she responds to comment on two points? First, if we are now to be committed in this legally strengthened way to the maximum economic exploration of our oil and gas reserves, how do the Government see that to be compatible with the commitment under the Climate Change Act to reduce our emissions to only 20% of the 1990 level by 2050 without also having a strategy for carbon capture and storage, which I think lies behind the amendment?

Secondly, the amendment refers to the economic extraction of our hydrocarbons—I have never yet heard any reliable estimate of what the additional cost will be of having carbon capture and storage on a typical power station, be it a coal station or a gas station. What level of increase per kilowatt hour—in a unit that can be easily understood—is anticipated if carbon capture and storage is required on such stations? That impacts on what is economically recoverable. Continue reading “Bishop of Chester presses Government on carbon capture during Infrastructure Bill debate”

Bishop of Bristol takes part in debate on Assisted Dying Bill

On 7th November 2014, the House of Lords held the Committee Stage of Lord Falconer of Thoroton’s Assisted Dying Bill. The Bishop of Bristol, the Rt Revd Mike Hill, spoke to two amendments that he sponsored and co-sponsored. The amendments sought to strengthen the decision-making process surrounding the application and ingestion of the drugs that would be used to enable someone to commit suicide. Following a short debate on the amendments, Lord Falconer agreed to bring back amendments at Report Stage dealing with the period of time between application and ingestion. However, he did not agree to make further changes to his Bill, as he claimed that the Bishop’s concerns were dealt with elsewhere in the Bill.The Bishop did not press his amendments to a vote.

14.03 Bishop of BristolThe Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, I may not be the only one who is a bit confused about what is happening. I stand to speak in support of Amendment 12 tabled by my noble friend Lord McColl, but I would like to address noble Lords’ attention to Amendment 77, which stands in my name. I rather hoped it might have been grouped with Amendment 85, but they stand separately grouped now. I would like to reserve the right to come back to Amendment 85 at a later occasion and I hope a later occasion will occur for that to happen.

Amendment 77 deals with something slightly different. Quite rightly, most of our debate today has focused on the decision to apply for assisted suicide and to sign the declaration. However, it is fair to say that the request for assistance with suicide involves two different and discrete decisions: first, there is the decision to apply for it, and then there is the decision to ingest fatal drugs. The Bill makes it clear that there has to be a minimum of 14 days between the application and the actual ingestion of the drugs, except in the case of somebody who is given a prognosis of a month or less and then the time lag reduces to six days. Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol takes part in debate on Assisted Dying Bill”

Church of England Week in Westminser, 3rd – 7th November 2014

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

In the House of Lords over the past week, bishops have proposed amendments to the Assisted Dying Bill, supported amendments to the Government’s Consumer Rights Bill and Infrastructure Bill and spoken about women facing homelessness, domestic violence and social exclusion, and low-income and vulnerable consumers. Bishops have also asked questions about the Chilcot Inquiry, financial advisory services, Iraq, the Central African Republic, Workplace Capability Assessments, and Saudi Arabia.

Continue reading “Church of England Week in Westminser, 3rd – 7th November 2014”

Bishop of Norwich calls for stronger response to tackle growth of food bank use

“When we stigmatise the poor, the unemployed and the vulnerable, we have succumbed to blaming them for their position. However, although some people stigmatise welfare claimants, many others show enormous human and social solidarity by volunteering to help them.”

On 6th November 2014, Labour Peer the Rt Hon. the Lord Whitty led a take-note debate in the House of Lords on the cumulative effects of Government economic, public spending and regulatory policies on low income and vulnerable consumers. The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham James, spoke in the debate. He focused his remarks on the rise in the use of food banks across his diocese, and the need for a sustained response to help reduce the use of food banks, including investment in nutrition programmes and reducing the number of delays to welfare payments. He praised those who volunteer and support food banks and other charitable responses, and cautioned some of the language used to describe those who use food banks and other forms of support.

14.06.12 Bishop of NorwichThe Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Whitty, for securing this debate, which I enter in no partisan spirit but hope to contribute some reflections from local experience in Norwich of those on low incomes in our city.

It was more than five years ago that I was first approached to become patron of the Norwich food bank, a relatively early one to be established. Its work informs a good deal of what I want to say. The necessity for it was identified before the previous general election as a result of the recession. Suddenly, people who thought themselves reasonably secure were worried. Those who were already insecure became highly vulnerable. That was all very noticeable within our church communities on the housing estates in Norwich, especially in the areas of greatest social deprivation. Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich calls for stronger response to tackle growth of food bank use”

Bishop of Leicester calls for closer co-ordination between faith groups and Government to tackle domestic abuse

On 6th November 2014, the Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Revd Tim Stevens, took part in a debate in the House of Lords on women facing homelessness, domestic violence and social exclusion, led by Labour Peer Baroness King of Bow. The Bishop focused his remarks on tackling domestic violence, highlighting the need for closer co-ordination between faith groups and local and national government, increasing the availability and quality of training for key institutions such as the police, and asked the Minister to update the House on progress made on the Government’s violence against women strategy and its obligations under international treaties.

14.04.01 Bishop of LeicesterThe Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, as this debate progresses the seriousness and critical nature of this subject is dawning on all of us. I share with other noble Lords a gratitude to the noble Baroness, Lady King, for bringing it to our attention with such eloquence and passion. We all look forward to the maiden speeches of the noble Baroness, Lady Rebuck, and the noble Lord, Lord Farmer, this morning.

Although there are profound links between the three subjects before us, I intend to concentrate on the issue of women facing domestic violence. I do so with considerable caution, even trepidation, because of the horrific stories that have already been brought to our attention, but also as a man who represents a hierarchical position in a patriarchal ecclesiastical institution. Nevertheless, I dare to speak, for three reasons. First, because of the extremely disturbing statistics which others have referred to: an estimated 7% of all women experience domestic violence, according to the 2011-12 figures, equivalent to some 1.2 million victims. There were 88,000 domestic violence cases referred to the Crown Prosecution Service that year, of which more than 64% reached a decision to charge, leading to more than 52,000 convictions. Even more disturbing are the 2013 figures, which indicate that on average 155 women and 103 children were turned away from refuges every day, at the most dangerous and vulnerable moment for them. They were then, of course, faced with returning to an abusive partner. Continue reading “Bishop of Leicester calls for closer co-ordination between faith groups and Government to tackle domestic abuse”

Bishop of Coventry receives answers to questions on Saudi Arabia

On 6th November 2014, the Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, recieved answers to three written question Saudi Arabia from the Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Baroness Anelay of St Johns.

13.10 Bishop of CoventryThe Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of freedom of religion or belief in Saudi Arabia and the extent to which discrimination against and restrictions experienced by Shiite Muslims contribute to sectarian unrest and dissent in that country.[HL2365]

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Anelay of St Johns): The British Government strongly supports the right to freedom of religion or belief, which is severely restricted in Saudi Arabia. We make our views well known through the UN Universal Periodic Review Process, in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report, and to the Saudi Arabian authorities. We have made clear the importance of religious tolerance, including for different branches of Islam. There are some long-standing tensions between some Shia communities in the Eastern Province and the Saudi authorities. We continue to monitor developments. We welcome all efforts to increase religious tolerance in Saudi Arabia, including the recent calls by King Abdullah and Saudi religious leaders for greater religious tolerance in the Kingdom. Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry receives answers to questions on Saudi Arabia”

Bishop of St Albans calls on Government to uphold its commitment to zero-carbon homes

On 5th November 2014, the Bishop of St Albans tabled an amendment to the Infrastructure Bill, during its Report Stage, which sought to hold the Government to its commitment to a zero-carbon homes strategy as originally envisaged, including removing exemptions for small construction companies and allowing construction companies to buy themselves out of their obligation to build zero-carbon homes. Following the debate on the amendment, assurances were given tat consultation on the commitment were ongoing, and the Bishop did not press it to a division of the House.

Bishop of St AlbansThe Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, in speaking to Amendment 108A, I should like to thank the noble Lord, Lord Berkeley, for co-sponsoring it. I bring forward this amendment out of concern that the standard proposed in the Bill is significantly lower than that already agreed through cross-industry consensus. I fear that an excessive focus on off-site carbon savings will undermine the effectiveness of the proposals and that an exemption for small sites will create confusion by causing the emergence of a two-tiered regulatory system. It is essential that housebuilders meets the carbon compliance standards that have already been agreed through cross-industry consensus. This was endorsed by the Government back in 2011 and strongly supported by around 70% of those responding to their consultation. I am therefore troubled by the proposal of a new on-site energy performance standard for zero-carbon homes that is lower than the one already agreed. It is not clear why this reduction is necessary. The proposed exemptions from the standard for homes built on small sites and for starter homes would also serve to undermine the main purpose behind the zero-carbon standard: namely, that of prioritising carbon reduction. It is to address the lack of measures necessary to realise the Government’s stated commitment to carbon neutrality that I have tabled this amendment which requires the previously agreed carbon compliance standard to be met on-site before allowable solutions can be undertaken. It also requires all homes to meet that standard, ensuring that no exemptions are allowed. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans calls on Government to uphold its commitment to zero-carbon homes”

Infrastructure Bill – Division

On 15th November 2014, three bishops voted on an amendment to the Infrastructure Bill, during its Report Stage. The amendment, tabled by Labour peer Lord Adonis, sought to create a National Infrastructure Commission, based on recommendations made by Sir John Armitt in his independent review into national infrastructure for the Labour Party.

House of Lords Division Lobby
House of Lords Division Lobby

 

The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham James, the Bishop of Portsmouth, the Rt Revd Christopher Foster, and the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith, voted ‘content’ with the amendment. No bishop voted ‘not content’.

There were Contents: 195 | Not Contents: 235 | Result: Government Win.

(via Parliament.uk)