Bills – Page 57 – The Church of England in Parliament

Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021: Bishop of Carlisle raises issues of devolution and stipulations on foetal disability

On 28th April 2021, the Bishop of Carlisle spoke in opposition to the passage of the Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations, citing the issue of devolution and the inclusion in the regulations of the legalisation of abortion in cases of severe foetal impairment:

The Lord Bishop of Carlisle: My Lords, we are all aware of the sensitivities surrounding abortion, as the noble Viscount, Lord Younger, has observed, and also of the wide range of deeply held views that it provokes. However, whatever our own particular standpoint on abortion per se, which is, as the House has been reminded, now legal in Northern Ireland, there are two specific aspects of these regulations which must be of general concern. One has to do with devolution, as we have already been reminded. To quote from a recent statement issued by the Archbishop of Armagh:

“It is a matter of regret that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland intends to seek powers from Parliament to give direction to the Department of Health in Northern Ireland around what is clearly a devolved matter.”

Votes: Fire Safety Bill

On 27th April 2021, the House of Lords debated Commons reasons and amendments to the Fire Safety Bill. Votes were held on further amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:

Fire Safety Bill: Bishop of St Albans raises issue of leaseholder costs

On 27th April 2021, the House of Lords debated amendments to the Fire Safety Bill. The Bishop of St Albans spoke in the debate, raising the difficulties faced by leaseholders struggling to meet remediation costs and to sell their properties:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: Well, my Lords, here we are again. I do not want to detain your Lordships’ House for too long, because everything has been said several times already, but I want to make a few comments, if I may.

I, too, want the Bill to pass. I pay tribute to Her Majesty’s Government and the money they have already found and put on the table, which is very significant. But since we last gathered here, the sheer scale of the crisis, which is in its very early stages, is slowly beginning to unfold before us and become ever clearer. I believe that is why the majority in the other place declines each time an amendment goes back, because those long-serving, seasoned campaigners in the other place realise what is going on. The stories are coming out absolutely relentlessly, and new research is being published.

At a few minutes to four this afternoon, I received an email from someone who works in Parliament. I will call her Claire; that is not her real name, but she will know who she is, because she emailed me at 3.56 pm and asked if I will speak up. She said, “Will you speak up for the leaseholders again and table an amendment? I bought a flat under the shared ownership scheme. I own a 25% share, yet I am liable for 100% of the costs. I am already paying an additional amount each month, and I know this amount will soon increase as further remediation work takes place. I simply cannot afford to pay for the remediation works, nor should I have to. The stress of this situation is becoming intolerable. My mental and physical health are approaching a state of collapse”. “Will you speak up?”, she said. I have not met her yet—I hope she will say hello to me one day, perhaps when she guesses who I am or sees me around the place. This is someone who we bump into, who works in this place and who serves us.

Bishop of Durham moves Cathedrals Measure

On 22nd April 2021, the Bishop of Durham moved the Church of England Cathedrals Measure in the House of Lords, asking that the measure be approved for Royal Assent. The Bishop of Oxford also spoke in support of the measure:

The Lord Bishop of Durham [V]: That this House do direct that, in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919, the Cathedrals Measure be presented to Her Majesty for the Royal Assent.

My Lords, I beg to move the second Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. The Cathedrals Measure provides a new statutory framework for the governance and regulation of 41 Church of England cathedrals and will replace the framework in the Cathedrals Measure 1999.

Our cathedrals are national treasures which it is both a privilege and a responsibility to care for. They play a key role in our national life, with some 10 million adults visiting them each year and around 330,000 children enjoying free educational visits to them. All our cathedrals are involved in work in their local community, and they contribute around £220 million annually to the UK economy, employing some 3,000 people. Above all, however, each cathedral serves its community as the mother church of its area and the seat of a bishop, and remains in use for its original purpose.

Bishop of Durham moves Diocesan Boards of Education Measure

On 22nd April 2021, the Bishop of Durham spoke in support of the Diocesan Boards of Education Measure, asking that the House of Lords approve the measure:

The Lord Bishop of Durham [V]: That this House do direct that, in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919, the Diocesan Boards of Education Measure be presented to Her Majesty for the Royal Assent.

My Lords, the Diocesan Boards of Education Measure updates and replaces the Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 1991, which provides the legal framework within which the Church of England’s dioceses engage and work with church schools.

Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of Gloucester tables amendment on support for migrant victims of domestic abuse

During a debate on Commons Reasons and Amendments to the Domestic Abuse Bill on 21st April 2021, the Bishop of Gloucester tabled an amendment aimed at securing support services for migrant victims of domestic abuse:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester [V]: My Lords, I will listen carefully to what the Government say in response but, as things stand, I am minded to test the opinion of the House. I draw attention to my interests as stated in the register. I thank the Minister for her work and thank the team of Ministers who have remained so committed to this Bill and have listened deeply. I am grateful for all the time that I have been given to discuss this, but I remain hugely frustrated.

I listened very carefully last week as the other place considered the amendments that we made to the Bill. The Government’s solution to this issue, as we have just heard, is the pilot support for migrant victims scheme. This is insufficient. Although the Minister has just spoken warmly of what it will provide, it is for a limited number of people only. It is estimated that the pilot project will not be able to provide the holistic wraparound support needed to aid recovery, even by those women who access it. It is likely that organisations will need to provide extra support, using donations and other funds, to cover services such as counselling and therapeutic support and medical, travel and legal costs. The pilot project will therefore remain an inadequate means to assess needs.

I remain committed, as I know others do, to ensuring that the Bill is as good as it can be for all victims of domestic abuse. Amid all the debate and discussion, I return again and again to the people—the men, women and children—behind the words and policies. No person should be subject to the horrors of domestic violence, coercion and control. The degradation of humanity in this manner is an evil, and we must do all that we can to stamp it out.

Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of London supports amendment to safeguard migrant victims of domestic violence

On 21st April 2021, during a debate on the Domestic Abuse Bill, the Bishop of London spoke in support of an amendment tabled by Baroness Meacher, seeking to ensure that the personal data of migrant victims of domestic violence be safeguarded:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Meacher, for sponsoring this amendment, my friend the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Gloucester and everyone who has faithfully backed the inclusion of migrant women in this Bill. As we already know, the Government voted against the amendment, which would have improved access to justice for migrant women. The Commons outcome does not secure any long-term legislative protection for migrant women. That is a shame.

Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of Gloucester supports amendment calling for review of existing defences for victims of domestic abuse in the court system

On 21st April 2021, the House of Lords debated Commons Reasons and Amendments to the Domestic Violence Bill. The Bishop of Gloucester spoke in support of an amendment tabled by Baroness Kennedy, seeking to establish an independent review of the effectiveness of self-defence in cases of victims of domestic violence:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I support this amendment, tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy. In Committee and on Report, I spoke in favour of amendments to this Bill that proposed a statutory defence of domestic abuse, recognising the significant number of women coming into contact with the criminal justice system who have experienced domestic abuse and previous trauma, and how that becomes a driver for their offending. I do not want to repeat all that the noble Baroness has said, but I will highlight again the statistic of almost 60% of women supervised in the community or in custody who have an assessment have experienced domestic abuse—and the true figure is likely to be much higher.

Regrettably, these amendments have not been included in the Bill, and I therefore strongly support the call to hold an independent review of the effectiveness of existing defences, as proposed by this amendment.

Hansard

Votes: Domestic Abuse Bill

On 21st April 2021, the House of Lords debated Commons Reasons and Amendments motions to the Domestic Abuse Bill. Votes were held on further amendments to these motions, in which Bishops took part:

Fire Safety Bill: Bishop of St Albans moves amendment protecting leaseholders and tenants from remediation costs

On 20th April 2021, the House of Lords debated responses to the Commons Reasons and Amendments on the Fire Safety Bill. The Bishop of St Albans tabled a further amendment to the bill, seeking to protect leaseholders and tenants from remediation costs being passed on by building owners:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I give notice of my intention to seek the opinion of the House when the time comes, and declare my interest as a vice-president of the LGA.

When there is a crisis, we look to Her Majesty’s Government for radical and rapid action. Ministers are good at calling stakeholders to gather around the table. Just yesterday, in the other place, Minister Oliver Dowden said he was appalled by a situation. He promised Members that they should

“be no doubt that if they cannot act, we will … We will put everything on the table to prevent this from happening … Put simply, we will review everything the Government do to support”

this. He went on:

“We will do whatever it takes.”—[Official Report, Commons, 19/4/21; col. 676.]

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