Category: Bills

Legislation before Parliament

Archbishop of York speaks in debate on Pension Schemes Bill

On 5th February 2015, the Archbishop of York, the Most Revd and Rt Hon John Sentamu, spoke during the Third Reading of the Government’s Pension Schemes Bill. He spoke in favour of an amendment relating to the provision of pension guidance. Following assurances from the Minister, the amendment was withdrawn. 

Archbishop of YorkThe Archbishop of York: My Lords, if the Minister is assuring us that there will be information online and people will be able to understand everything, why cannot this amendment be put on the statute book so that there is a duty on the Treasury to inform people about this issue? For me the provision is so simply worded that I do not understand why it cannot be on the statute book. Continue reading “Archbishop of York speaks in debate on Pension Schemes Bill”

Bishop of Chester takes part in debate on Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill

On 28th January 2015, the Bishop of Chester, the Rt Revd Peter Forster, took part in the debate on amendments to the Government’s Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill, during its Committee Stage. Speaking during the debate on the duties of higher education institutions under the Bill, the Bishop raised the point that places of religious instruction and education did not appear to fall under the remit of the Bill. Following the debate, the amendments were withdrawn.

14.03 Bishop of ChesterThe Lord Bishop of Chester: I will speak very briefly as we come to the end of this debate. As I was listening to it, I realised that there is a whole area to which we have not referred but which is entirely relevant; that is, religious institutions and places of religious instruction and education. Those are missing from the Bill. The application of the Bill to universities will have very uncertain benefits and be extremely impractical to apply in as much as universities are independent institutions. They do not always appear so to the heads of those institutions when they deal with Governments but they are independent institutions. That is a really important feature. Most of the authorities listed here are not independent in that way, although other educational establishments are included. Continue reading “Bishop of Chester takes part in debate on Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill”

House of Commons Consideration of Church Measures, Simplification of the Faculty Process, Management of Church Pensions & Management of Parish Property

Tony Baldry MPOn Wednesday 28th January 2015 the Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee of the House of Commons met to consider three Church Measures relating to simplification of the faculty process, management of church pensions and management of parish property. The committee approved all the Measures which now proceed to the floor of the House of Commons to receive final approval and be sent for Royal Assent

Continue reading “House of Commons Consideration of Church Measures, Simplification of the Faculty Process, Management of Church Pensions & Management of Parish Property”

Bishop of Derby supports Bill to enshrine UK aid commitment in law

On 23rd January 2015, the Bishop of Derby, the Rt Revd Alastair Redfern, took part in the Second Reading debate of the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Bill. The Bill is a Private Members’ Bill which was introduced in the House of Commons by Liberal Democrat MP Michael Moore. The Bishop argued that enshrining the 0.7% GNI contribution in law was a statement of the UK’s values, and showed a committment to the development of all states and the flourishing of all people.

DerbyThe Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, I, too, congratulate the Government and the leaders of all the major parties on, at a time of amazing austerity and financial challenge, this bold commitment to a generous settlement in our public finances for the support of those in developing countries, especially the poorest of the poor. As we have heard, the 0.7% is an international target and therefore a very important sign that we play our part in an international community in a responsible way. Many activists, and church members in particular, are concerned for us to make that witness to global citizenship, and see this as an important issue. We have heard that it is important for us to be able to plan and be efficient and effective in the deployment of these resources. We have also heard that it creates more stable and peaceful societies, and gives us better communities with which to trade. Continue reading “Bishop of Derby supports Bill to enshrine UK aid commitment in law”

Bishop of Derby takes Church of England Measure on Pensions through the House of Lords

On the 22nd January the Bishop of Derby Lead a debate on a Church of England Measure reforming the Church Pensions system. The House of Lords considered and approved the Measure which will now move to the House of Commons.

Church of England Pensions (Amendment) Measure

Motion to Direct

Moved by The Lord Bishop of Derby

DerbyThat this House do direct that, in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919, the Church of England Pensions (Amendment) Measure be presented to Her Majesty for the Royal Assent.

The Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, this very short Measure makes a single change to the Church of England Pensions Measure 1997. It extends by a further seven years the period during which the Church Commissioners have power to use the capital of their general fund in order to fund their historic pension obligations. The Pensions Measure 1997 conferred the original power on the commissioners to spend capital in order to support their responsibility to pay pensions for clergy service before 1998. The original power came to an end in 2004, and has been extended twice since then, on each occasion for seven years. Continue reading “Bishop of Derby takes Church of England Measure on Pensions through the House of Lords”

Bishop of Derby takes Church of England Measure on PCC Property through House of Lords

DerbyOn the 22nd January 2015 the Bishop of Derby lead a debate on a Church of England Measure reforming the way a Parochial Church Council can manage their properties. The House considered the Motion and passed the Measure which will now move for consideration in the House of Commons.

Ecclesiastical Property Measure

Motion to Direct

Moved by The Lord Bishop of Derby

That this House do direct that, in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919, the Ecclesiastical Property Measure be presented to Her Majesty for the Royal Assent.

The Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, this Measure makes a modest change to the statutory framework for land and property held on permanent trusts by parochial church councils. At present, legal title to all PCC land is vested in the “diocesan authority”—usually the diocesan board of finance—which holds it as trustee for the PCC, by virtue of the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956. The diocesan authority’s consent is required to all kinds of transactions, with the exception of leases for a year or less. Continue reading “Bishop of Derby takes Church of England Measure on PCC Property through House of Lords”

Bishop of Derby takes Church of England Measure through House of Lords on Simplifying Faculty Process

On 22nd January 2015 the Bishop of Derby lead the debate in the House of Lords on a Church of England Measure. The House considered a Measure which was presented for Royal Assent on the subject of simplifying the faculty process. The Measure was accepted by the House and now proceeds to the House of Commons for consideration.

Derby

Care of Churches and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction (Amendment) Measure

Motion to Direct

Moved by The Lord Bishop of Derby

That this House do direct that, in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919, the Care of Churches and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction (Amendment) Measure be presented to Her Majesty for the Royal Assent. Continue reading “Bishop of Derby takes Church of England Measure through House of Lords on Simplifying Faculty Process”

Bishop of Durham speaks about the Counter Terrorism and Security Bill

On 20th January 2015 the Bishop of Durham spoke in support of amendment 2 in the name of Lord Rosser to the Counter Terrorism and Security Bill 2014-15 during the Bills committee stage. The amendment relates to inserting a sunset clause into the Bill which would be reviewed by Parliament after a two-year period. Following Lord Bates’s response from the Government to the amendment Lord Rosser decided to withdraw his amendment.

14.06.10 Bishop of Durham 4The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, it is worth reminding ourselves of the speed of change in the world that has led to this legislation. If these proposals had been before us even 18 months ago, I suspect that we would not even have entertained them. Therefore, the speed of change that has brought them about demands that we say that we do not wish to forgo our existing liberties, some of which would be restricted by this Act, without having recourse, in two or three years’ time, to a serious look at whether the measures are working. So I fully support the idea of a sunset clause. I am prepared to accept that two years may be rather too brief, given all the circumstances and the likelihood that we are going to live with this for some time. I would, however, encourage the House to support these amendments in some form, since I believe that the removal of our liberties that is encompassed in these clauses is so serious that we should not put them into permanent place.

Continue reading “Bishop of Durham speaks about the Counter Terrorism and Security Bill”

MPs Pass the Lords Spiritual (Women) Bill – debate transcript

Lords Spiritual (Women) Bill

House of Commons, 19th January 2015

 

Westminster-abbey3.37 pm

Allocation of Time

The Deputy Leader of the House of Commons (Tom Brake):

I beg to move,

That the following provisions shall apply to the proceedings on the Lords Spiritual (Women) Bill–

Timetable

1.- (1) Proceedings on Second Reading, in Committee, on consideration and on Third Reading shall be completed at this day’s sitting…..

The motion applies to the proceedings on the Lords Spiritual (Women) Bill. The motion timetables all stages of the Bill, guaranteeing six hours debate, with up to four hours on Second Reading and a further two hours for Committee and remaining stages.

This is a short, single-issue Bill that the Government have introduced in response to the recent decision by the Church of England to allow women to be consecrated as bishops. The provisions will fast-track female diocesan bishops in the House of Lords, as current legislation will otherwise mean it would be many years before female bishops could take seats on the Lords Spiritual Benches.

More will be said about the detail of the provisions and the necessity for this legislation when we come to debating the Bill itself. This is an important Bill, strongly supported by both the Government and the Church, and it has broad support across the House. It is a tightly focused Bill with only one substantive clause, and it is for that reason that the motion allocates six hours for debate. I commend the motion to the House. Continue reading “MPs Pass the Lords Spiritual (Women) Bill – debate transcript”

Bishop of Chester takes part in debate on Recall of MPs Bill

On 19th January 2015, the Bishop of Chester, the Rt Revd Peter Forster, took part in the debate on the Government’s Recall of MPs Bill, during the second day of its Committee Stage. He spoke three times during the debate on Lord Hamilton of Epsom’s amendment, which sought to raise the threshold at which a petition against an MP would trigger the recall process, from 10 per cent to 20 per cent. The amendment was withdrawn at the end of the debate.

14.03 Bishop of ChesterThe Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, I think that only these Benches could participate in these petitions since we have a right to vote in general elections, although there is a convention among us that we do not. I think that the last person who did so was Archbishop Runcie, who simply could not resist voting against Mrs Thatcher. He was found out and promised not to do it again, so there is a convention that we do not do it but we could. Continue reading “Bishop of Chester takes part in debate on Recall of MPs Bill”