Category: Bills

Legislation before Parliament

Data Protection & Digital Information Bill: Bishop of St Albans raises concerns on police powers to access data

The Bishop of St Albans spoke in a debate at the second reading of the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill on 19th December 2023, raising concerns about the expansion of police access to and use of personal data:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I too welcome the noble Lord, Lord de Clifford, and look forward to his maiden speech. We on these Benches appreciate that there is a need for updated data protection legislation in order to keep up with the many technological advances that are taking place and, wherever possible, to simplify the processes for data processing. From this perspective, we welcome the Government’s ambition to remove unnecessary red tape and to support British businesses and our economy. However, as ever, these priorities need to be balanced alongside appropriate security of new legislation and we must ensure that there are appropriate safeguards in the Bill to protect human rights that are fundamental to our democracy.

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Victims and Prisoners Bill: Bishop of Manchester welcomes focus on victims and opportunity for clarified legislation

On 18th December 2023, the Bishop of Manchester spoke in a debate on the second reading of the Victims & Prisoners Bill, applauding the focus on victims and welcoming the bill as an opportunity for clarity of legislation and statutory instruments:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I am grateful to His Majesty’s Government for introducing this Bill. I am also grateful that shortly we will hear a maiden speech from the noble Lord, Lord Carter of Haslemere. His long experience of the law and the Civil Service will serve your Lordships’ House well. I look forward to his remarks today and on many future occasions.

I also welcome the focus on victims that lies at the heart of the Bill. As we have just heard, it builds on the report of my right reverend friend Bishop James Jones, a former Member of your Lordships’ House, into the Hillsborough tragedy. I was a young member of the clergy called into the stadium to support bereaved families. I will never forget the sight of iron barriers twisted out of shape by the pressure of human bodies being crushed against them. Hence I warmly commend the proposal for independent public advocates in cases such as that and the Manchester Arena attack, to which the Minister referred in his opening remarks—I thank him for doing so. As Bishop of Manchester, it fell to me to help lead my city’s response to the brutal murder of 22 people and the injuring and traumatising of hundreds of others.

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Victims & Prisoners Bill: Bishop of Newcastle raises potential effects on children and families, and migrant victims of domestic abuse

The Bishop of Newcastle spoke in a debate on the second reading of the Victims & Prisoners Bill on 18th December 2023, welcoming the bill while pointing out several areas of concern relating to children and families, migrant victims of domestic abuse, and the issue of imprisonment for public protection:

The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, it is a privilege to speak today, to follow the noble and learned Lord, and to be in the company of those to follow. This is an important piece of legislation. We all know that the work of delivering justice for victims does not end with this legislation. Ultimately, we all want safer communities, so it is vital that we consider what really helps to rehabilitate people in prison so that they do not offend again on release. The work of reconciliation and restoration, challenging as it is, invites us to consider deeper issues. Root and branch reform of the criminal justice system is long overdue.

There are unresolved issues with the Bill, some of which I hope will be considered in this House. I will mention four very briefly, which my right reverend friend the Bishop of Gloucester will be interested in as the Bill progresses.

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Asylum Application (Entry to the United Kingdom) Bill – First Reading

On 29th November 2023, the Bishop of Chelmsford’s Private Member’s Bill, the Asylum Application (Entry to the United Kingdom) Bill, was introduced and had its first reading in the House of Lords:

Asylum Application (Entry to the United Kingdom) Bill [HL]

A Bill to make provision for leave to enter the United Kingdom to be granted to people for the purposes of making an application for asylum; and for connected purposes.

The Bill was introduced by the Bishop of Chelmsford, read a first time and ordered to be printed.

Hansard

Coroners (Determination of Suicide) Bill: First Reading

On 28th November 2023, the Bishop of St Albans’ Private Members Bill, the Coroners (Determination of Suicide) Bill, was introduced in the House of Lords:

A Bill to require the coroner, following an inquest, to record an opinion as to the relevant factors in a case of death by suicide; and for connected purposes.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I declare my interest as a vice-president of Peers for Gambling Reform.

The Bill was introduced by the Lord Bishop of St Albans, read a first time and ordered to be printed.

Hansard

Pedicabs (London) Bill: Bishop of St Albans welcomes legislation

On 22nd November 2023, the Pedicabs (London) Bill had its second reading in the House of Lords. The Bishop of St Albans made a speech welcoming the bill, and identifying several safety concerns around Pedicabs affecting buildings owned by the Church Commissioners:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I pray for the indulgence of the House to speak very briefly in the gap. I apologise that I just missed the deadline to get my name down. Speaking so late, I find that many of the points have been made very eloquently so I have been putting lines through various paragraphs. I will be very succinct. I need to declare my interests because I want to refer to some of the Church Commissioners’ properties in London and the reports that have come from tenants and also to my role as a vice-president of the LGA.

We welcome this Bill. We think it needs a fair bit of work, and there are a number of issues that need to be resolved. I agree that for many people pedicabs are a cause for fun, not least for tourists, but the Church Commissioners, being one of the local landlords in London, have received many complaints from local people affected by unregulated pedicabs. We have listed some of them: playing loud music at night; causing local traffic congestion; charging extortionate prices; blocking pavements; sometimes blocking cycle lanes, which is a real problem and causes real danger to cyclists who are going to and from work; and, not least, their lack of insurance, so many passengers and other users are left without protection.

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Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill: Bishop of St Albans raises ethical concerns over data access and developing technologies

On 20th November 2023, the Bishop of St Albans spoke in a debate on the Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [HL] at the bill’s second reading, raising concerns regarding the expanded powers the bill would give to the intelligence services to access personal data, and the ethical considerations of developing technology:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I too thank the noble Lord, Lord Anderson of Ipswich, for his very helpful and excellent work in his area. With the rapid acceleration of technology and technological capacity, I recognise the need for this Bill to be updated. In this context, I welcome the Government’s sense of urgency in addressing the changing landscape in this area, and seeking to close those gaps that potentially endanger both the security and the safety of our nation. My right reverend friend the Bishop of Leeds had hoped to be here today, as he has taken a particular interest in this area, but he is detained elsewhere. We would both like to express two concerns that we believe must be addressed as this Bill is debated in your Lordships’ House.

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Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: Bishop of Chichester welcomes legislation on financial support for church buildings

On 21st September 2023, the House of Lords debated the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill in its third reading. The Bishop of Chichester spoke in the debate, welcoming legislation in the bill brought by the Bishop of Bristol clarifying local authority funding for church buildings and parish churches:

The Lord Bishop of Chichester: My Lords, I apologise for my misplaced enthusiasm in wanting to add to these thanks. I shall speak briefly on behalf of my right reverend friend the Bishop of Bristol to record her thanks to the noble Baroness, Lady Scott of Bybrook, for all the constructive work that is represented in the Bill and to assure the noble Baroness of our continued prayers for her recovery.

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Votes: Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill

On 18th September 2023, the House of Lords debated the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill in the Report Stage. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:

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Votes: Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill

On 13th September 2023, the House of Lords debated the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill in the Report stage. Votes were held on amendments to the Bill, in which Bishops took part:

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