Category: Bills

Legislation before Parliament

Bishop of Derby supports bill on renters’ rights

Bishop of DerbyOn Friday 10th June  2016 the Bishop of Derby, the Rt Revd Alastair Redfern spoke during the debate on Baroness Grender’s Renters’ Rights Bill. The Bishop highlighted his concerns about vulnerable people and malpractice by some rental landlords and property management agencies. 

The Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, I too wish to offer some thoughts about the importance of the issues raised by the Bill and the sense of direction in which it seeks to travel.

First, I note the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Palmer, regarding a definition of so-called “rogue” landlords. The Housing and Planning Act has introduced a database of rogue landlords and property agents, which is to be made available to local authorities so that they can check for compliance, but there is a question over whether tenants should have access to that kind of information. Continue reading “Bishop of Derby supports bill on renters’ rights”

Bishop of Derby supports Bill to regulate arms brokers

DerbyOn the 10th June 2016 the Bishop of Derby, Rt Revd Alastair Redfern spoke during the Second Reading debate of Baroness Jolly’s Register of Arms Brokers Bill. The Bishop drew parallels with similar work he had undertaking in the area of  supply chain transparency during the passage of the Modern Slavery Act. 

The Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, I rise to support the noble Baroness, Lady Jolly, and to make three simple points about why this such a powerful and necessary case. First, it builds upon existing legislation about licensing and export control, so we have a set of criteria and an assessment process in place so that all companies involved are scrutinised and licensed. We are doing the work that would provide the register. So the principle of identifying and monitoring arms brokers is established.

Continue reading “Bishop of Derby supports Bill to regulate arms brokers”

Divisions – Housing and Planning Bill

On 4th May 2016 a number of votes took place on the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill, as the House of Lords considered amendments made in the House of Commons. Bishops took part in the following Divisions of the House: Continue reading “Divisions – Housing and Planning Bill”

Divisions: Housing and Planning Bill

On 27th April 2016 votes took place on amendments to the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill at its Third Reading. The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, took part: Continue reading “Divisions: Housing and Planning Bill”

Immigration Bill: Bishop of Leeds supports UK welcome for lone child refugees

On 26th April 2016 the House of Lords considered amendments made in the House of Commons to the Government’s Immigration Bill. Labour Peer Lord Dubs proposed an amendment (as an alternative to his previous one, rejected by MPs), that would require the Government to “make arrangements to relocate to the United Kingdom and support a specified number of unaccompanied refugee children from other countries in Europe”. The Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, spoke in support of the amendment:

LeedsThe Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I was recently in northern Iraq, visiting internally displaced people and Syrian refugees. In a meeting with the United Nations office for the co-ordination of humanitarian aid, we were told that despite the generosity promised by many international donors, only 9% of the money had actually got through. That was not specifically applied to the UK. I do not know how much of the UK’s promised aid has gone but it was 9% overall. So when we hear about the amount of money that has been promised, it does not tell us how much has been delivered. Continue reading “Immigration Bill: Bishop of Leeds supports UK welcome for lone child refugees”

Divisions: Immigration Bill

On 26th April 2016 a number of votes took place in the House of Lords on the Government’s Immigration Bill, during debates on motions whether to accept or reject amendments made in the House of Commons. The Bishops of Durham and Leeds took part in the Divisions of the House: Continue reading “Divisions: Immigration Bill”

Divisions: Energy Bill

On 26th April 2016 a vote took place on an amendment to the Government’s Energy Bill, proposed as an alternative to that agreed by the House of Commons. The Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, took part: Continue reading “Divisions: Energy Bill”

Divisions: Housing and Planning Bill

On 25th April 2016 a number of votes took place on amendments to the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill at its Report Stage in the House of Lords. The Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, took part in three of the Divisions of the House: Continue reading “Divisions: Housing and Planning Bill”

Housing and Planning Bill: Bishop of Leeds supports amendment on affordable rural housing

BpLeeds2On 25th April 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill at its Report Stage. The Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, spoke in support of an amendment to the Bill that had been co-sponsored by the Bishop of St Albans. In introducing the amendment, Labour Peer Baroness Royall said:

“This amendment does not in any way seek to undermine the Government’s plans to increase the number of homes built on small sites. We need more homes in rural areas. It merely seeks to ensure that local authorities will still be able to meet the affordable housing needs of their rural communities in ways appropriate to their circumstances.”

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I support this amendment. My diocese covers vast and diverse rural areas. The issue that is constantly raised by those who live there is affordable housing for their children. We too often use the language of protection or preservation when we should be talking about development and creating the future. If we end up with small rural communities without young people in them, which in some cases is what is happening, we will have a problem 20, 30, 40 or 50 years down the line. I support the amendment and trust that we will give due attention to it. Continue reading “Housing and Planning Bill: Bishop of Leeds supports amendment on affordable rural housing”

Housing and Planning Bill: Bishop of Peterborough supports protections for victims of domestic violence

14.02 PeterboroughOn 18th April 2016, the House of Lords debated an amendment to the Housing and Planning Bill that would mean victims of domestic violence who leave a secure social tenancy would be able to access a new secure tenancy, rather than the proposed short-term tenancies. The amendment had been tabled by Baroness Lister, with the support of the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith. The Bishop of Peterborough, the Rt Revd Donald Allister spoke to the amendment on the Bishop of St Albans’ behalf.

The amendment was later withdrawn, after the Government committed to introduce it through regulations. Continue reading “Housing and Planning Bill: Bishop of Peterborough supports protections for victims of domestic violence”