Category: Bills

Legislation before Parliament

Welfare Reform Bill – Bishop of St Albans raises support for vulnerable adults

On 17th November 2015 the House of Lords debated at Second Reading the Government’s Welfare Reform and Work Bill. The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, raised concerns about potential impact on vulnerable adults, both in the proposals for supported housing and for those receiving the Employment Support Allowance. The Bishop of Durham also spoke in the debate.

StAlbans171115

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I will pick up on some of the themes that have been raised by some of my noble friends who have spoken today, particularly on the area of vulnerable adults and those who are disabled. I invite the Government to think about two issues in particular. The first relates to the clause in the Bill legislating for a mandatory 1% annual reduction in social housing rents over the next four years. I, like other noble Lords, understand that the Government have their reasons for introducing this mandatory reduction, not least the considerable savings on housing benefits that such a rate reduction would deliver. I welcome the discretionary power that the Secretary of State will have to waive the requirement for rent reductions. This will go some way to protecting those housing associations which find themselves financially exposed due to circumstances outside their control. Continue reading “Welfare Reform Bill – Bishop of St Albans raises support for vulnerable adults”

Bank of England and Financial Services Bill – Bishop of Southwark speaks against amendment on ‘reverse burden of proof’

On 11th November 2015 the House of Lords considered amendments in committee to the Government’s Bank of England and Financial Services Bill. Continue reading “Bank of England and Financial Services Bill – Bishop of Southwark speaks against amendment on ‘reverse burden of proof’”

Bishop of Portsmouth asks Government to support credit unions and diversity in financial services sector

On 26th October 2015 the House of Lords debated at Second Reading the Government’s Bank of England and Financial Services Bill. The Bishop of Portsmouth, Rt Rev Christopher Foster, made a short speech welcoming any measure that would promote diversity in the financial services sector, including credit unions.

14.04.09 Portsmouth maiden speech 1The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: My Lords, this Bill offers an important way to confirm the Government’s commitment to promoting real diversity in the financial services sector. I want to make a very brief contribution in support of such diversity. Continue reading “Bishop of Portsmouth asks Government to support credit unions and diversity in financial services sector”

Bishop of Carlisle supports new Bill on access to palliative care

On 23rd October 2015 the House of Lords debated the Access to Palliative Care Bill, a private member’s bill tabled by crossbench peer Baroness Finlay of Llandaff. The Bill sought to, in her words,

“ensure that wherever a dying person is, whatever the time of day or night, whatever day of the week, they can receive high-standard care… It would do so by ensuring that commissioners commission a level of service for their populations to meet need…My Bill would ensure co-ordination so that help is accessible, efficient and can meet needs.”

The Bishop of Carlisle, Rt Revd James Newcome, who is also lead bishop on healthcare for the Church of England, spoke supportively in the debate.

 

14.06.09 Bishop of CarlisleThe Lord Bishop of Carlisle: My Lords, I declare an interest as a fairly active patron of Eden Valley Hospice in Cumbria and of Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland. They work together to provide outstanding end-of-life care for people in the community as well as for those in a hospice bed. Like so many others, I am also most grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, for initiating this significant Bill. Continue reading “Bishop of Carlisle supports new Bill on access to palliative care”

Divisions – Energy Bill

House of Lords Division Lobby

The Rt Revd Peter Forster, Bishop of Chester took part in two divisions during the report stage consideration of the Government’s Energy Bill on the 21st of October 2015.

The Bishop voted with the Government  ‘Not Content’ to amendments 78Q and 78UA. The Government lost both divisions.  His interventions can be seen here.

 

Division on Amendment 78Q – Contents 242; Not-Contents 190. Amendment 78Q agreed

Division on Amendment 78UA – Contents 189; Not-Contents 166. Amendment 78UA agreed

(Via Parliament.UK)

 

Energy Bill – Bishop of Chester on renewable energy amendments

14.03 Bishop of ChesterOn 21st October 2015 the Rt Revd Peter Forster, Bishop of Chester, spoke a number of times during the report stage debate of the Government’s Energy Bill. The Bishop spoke to amendments relating to the future of Onshore wind power and the closure of the renewables obligation.

Continue reading “Energy Bill – Bishop of Chester on renewable energy amendments”

Bishop of Ely highlights role of church schools during Lords debate on Education and Adoption Bill

“We are committed to excellence and parents choose Church of England schools because of the broad and rounded education they provide… I urge the Minister and his officials and his officials to ensure that clear protocols and their consistent application are used to support the continued partnership between church and state as providers of education.” – Bishop of Ely, 20/10/15

14.10.16 Bishop of Ely 1On 20th October 2015 the House of Lords debated the Government’s Education and Adoption Bill. The Bishop of Ely, Rt Revd Stephen Conway, who is chair of the Church of England’s Board of Education, spoke about the work of church schools in character education. He also underlined the commitment of the church to helping improve standards through collaborative work between church schools, diocesan bodies and multi-academy trusts. The text of his speech and the minister’s response is below.


The Lord Bishop of Ely: The Church of England is firmly committed to delivering outstanding education that promotes academic excellence, together with the development of the whole child. I welcome all that has already been said about any approach to metrics in education to take a holistic view strongly into account.

I have already spoken in this House about the importance of character education. Last week, the Church of England launched a new discussion paper, on character education in schools, at a conference that was attended by teachers, school leaders and many people involved. The point was our doing this in partnership with the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues at the University of Birmingham, so that the work we are seeking to do in this area is of interest not just to those of us in the church but looks at how we can take a holistic approach to the education of the whole child across the maintained education service. Continue reading “Bishop of Ely highlights role of church schools during Lords debate on Education and Adoption Bill”

Division: Energy Bill and objectives of the Oil and Gas Authority

On 19th October 2015 the House of Lords considered amendments to the Government’s Energy Bill at its Report stage. Labour Peer Baroness Worthington moved an amendment to, in her words, “change the fundamental objective of the Oil and Gas Authority: to make it fit for purpose, comprehensive and a little bit closer to what we would expect a regulator representing the Government’s interests in the extraction of oil and gas to be interested in; and to maximise economic return from our resources, not necessarily just the economic recovery of fossil fuels.”

House of Lords Division Lobby
House of Lords Division Lobby

Amendment 11: after clause 3, to insert the new clause Transportation and storage of greenhouse gases.

The House divided:  Contents: 251 | Not Contents: 179 | Result: Government Defeat

The Bishops of Salisbury, Southwark and St Albans all voted content. No bishop voted not content.

(via Parliament.uk)

Division on the Childcare Bill over funding

On 14th October 2015 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Childcare Bill at its Report stage. The House voted on an amendment from Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, which sought to delay the introduction of Government plans to double the amount of free childcare for parents of three and four-year-olds until a full analysis of the funding the policy had been carried out. An ITV news report on the vote is here.

House of Lords Division Lobby
House of Lords Division Lobby

Amendment: ‘before clause 1, to insert the new clause Funding review’.

The House divided: Contents: 222 | Not Contents: 209 | Result: Government Defeat

The Bishop of St Albans voted content. No bishop voted not content.

(via Parliament.uk)

EU Referendum Bill – speech by the Bishop of London

“There must be more to this referendum than a calculation of the temporary individual economic benefit or disbenefit of membership of the Union in its present form” – Bishop of London 13/10/15

Bp London 131015On 13th October 2015 the House of Lords debated the EU Referendum Bill at its Second Reading. The Bishop of London, Rt Rev Richard Chartres, spoke in the debate.

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, in a matter as grave as the future relations between Britain and the European Union, there is perhaps a case for a referendum, which one hopes would settle the direction of travel for a generation. The referendum habit has elsewhere proved contagious. They tend to be run again if those in power do not get the answer they want. There must be a very strong case to justify an exception from our settled preference for a representative democracy that permits the kinds of compromises that the art of government requires. Continue reading “EU Referendum Bill – speech by the Bishop of London”