On 11th March 2025, the House of Lords debated the Football Governance Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:
Votes: Football Governance Bill
Category: Bills
Legislation before Parliament
Holocaust Memorial Bill: Bishop of St Albans tables amendments
The Bishop of St Albans moved two amendments to the Holocaust Memorial Bill on11th March 2025: amendment 22, which would seek to “limit the amount of time that Victoria Tower Gardens can be closed to the public as a result of events linked to the proposed Holocaust memorial and learning centre to three days a year,” and amendment 26, which would seek to “prevent the establishment of refreshment kiosks or static outbuildings in Victoria Tower Gardens.”
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I thank the noble Viscount, Lord Eccles, for opening this group. I will speak to my Amendment 22, which seeks to limit the amount of time that Victoria Tower Gardens can be closed to the public as a result of events linked to the proposed Holocaust memorial and learning centre to three days a year.
The protection conferred on Victoria Tower Gardens by the original Act of 1900 was put in place to ensure access to the park as a park in perpetuity. This is particularly important to residents in the locality, many of whom live in flats and would not otherwise have access to green spaces. We cannot discuss this Bill without giving due consideration to them and what protections will be in place for them. I note that, in responding to these concerns, the Select Committee report states that limiting the closure dates of Victoria Tower Gardens is a “reasonable request”, as it particularly affects residents who use it on a weekly basis.
Continue reading “Holocaust Memorial Bill: Bishop of St Albans tables amendments”Armed Forces Commissioner Bill: Bishop of Norwich raises impact on families and army chaplaincy
The Bishop of Norwich spoke at the second reading of the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill on 5th March 2025, supporting the bill while raising queries on the work of army chaplains, the UK Armed Forces Families Strategy, and the definition of family members given in the bill:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for his introduction. I saw it as a very positive step that the Labour Party pledged in its 2024 general election manifesto to establish an independent Armed Forces commissioner to improve service life.
I declare an interest as the father of a soldier. While my own son is enjoying his Army career and gaining much from it, previous speeches in your Lordships’ House and in the other place have cited record lows in morale and a crisis in recruitment and retention as driving this need for a strong, independent voice to represent the needs of service personnel and their families. So I see it as a very positive step forward that the Bill will enable any personnel or their families to raise a service welfare matter with the proposed commissioner, wherever in the world that matter may have taken place.
Service personnel and their families give much to this nation, as has already been said in your Lordships’ House. Much of that is unseen and can impact on extended family members, who often give unstinting support to loved ones during deployments and at other times. Personnel and their families never know what is around the corner or what might be expected of them, as we know all too well at present.
Continue reading “Armed Forces Commissioner Bill: Bishop of Norwich raises impact on families and army chaplaincy”Votes: Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill
On 4th March 2025, the House of Lords debated the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:
Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill: Bishop of Manchester speaks to amendments
The Bishop of Manchester spoke during a debate on amendments to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, expressing concern over the potential effects on churches and other places of worship, and the effects on voluntary commitments:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I am grateful that we are debating the amendments in this group. I declare my interest, having lots of churches in Manchester that fall under the terms of the Bill.
Continue reading “Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill: Bishop of Manchester speaks to amendments”Votes: Product Regulation and Metrology Bill
On 26th February 2025, the House of Lords debated the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a bishop took part:
Votes: National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill
On 25th February 2025, the House of Lords debated the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a bishop took part:
Bishop of Manchester asks about net zero targets and biomass capture
The Bishop of Manchester asked a question on the impact of new oil projects on net zero targets, and a question on the viability of carbon capture and storage, on 12th February 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: Perhaps I might make it a bit wider, to avoid putting the Minister in a difficult situation. We have heard that there are a number of projects that have previously been approved to a certain stage and—at the risk of a pun—are in the pipeline. Have the Government made any estimate of the impact that schemes in this sort of pipeline will have on the UK being able to meet its net-zero targets?
Continue reading “Bishop of Manchester asks about net zero targets and biomass capture”Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill: Bishop of Manchester speaks in support of amendments on community and voluntary groups
On 12th February 2025, the House of Lords debated amendments to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill. The Bishop of Manchester spoke in support of amendments to the bill tabled by Lord Murray of Blidworth aiming to provide further support for community and voluntary organisations under the bill:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I support the amendments of the noble Lord, Lord Murray of Blidworth, in this group. As the Bishop of Manchester, I have got something like 400 churches and church halls in my diocese, but these amendments go rather wider than that. For places of worship, there are already some grant schemes for protecting against terrorism, given the particular threat that places of worship, especially Muslim and Jewish places of worship, have traditionally faced.
Continue reading “Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill: Bishop of Manchester speaks in support of amendments on community and voluntary groups”Great British Energy Bill: Bishop of Norwich supports amendments on community energy projects
The Bishop of Norwich spoke in support of a government amendment to the Great British Energy Bill which would stipulate that Great British Energy had scope for involvement in community energy projects on 11th February 2025, welcoming the amendment and highlighting the role churches might play in these projects:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I support the Government’s Amendment 8. It is good that the Government have introduced this amendment so that Great British Energy can facilitate, encourage and participate in local community energy projects. I pay tribute to the noble Earl, Lord Russell, for the work he has done on this, as well as a number of different campaigning organisations and other Members of your Lordships’ House. This is a very important amendment, and it will be a great help to a whole range of different community organisations.
Continue reading “Great British Energy Bill: Bishop of Norwich supports amendments on community energy projects”
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