This week in the House of Lords bishops spoke on problem gambling, post-18 education, mental ill-health, and the apprenticeship levy. They asked questions about air pollution, asthma deaths, the NHS long-term plan, forced marriage, social housing, training for health professionals, Hong Kong, and persecuted groups. In the House of Commons the Second Church Estates Commissioner answered questions on lead theft from churches, and church-based tourism. Continue reading “Week in Westminster 1st-5th July 2019”
Category: Blog
Opinion and comment pieces on parliamentary / political issues
Bishop of Derby introduced to the House of Lords
From Hansard: “On 2nd July, 2019, Rt Revd Elizabeth Jane, Lord Bishop of Derby, was introduced and took the oath, supported by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York, and signed an undertaking to abide by the Code of Conduct of the House of Lords.”
She and her two sponsors, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, spoke in the Bishops’ Robing Room shortly before the introduction:
Week in Westminster, 24th-28th June 2019
This week in the House of Lords bishops spoke on serious youth violence, and the need to scrap the ‘two-child limit’ welfare policy. They asked questions about climate change, problem gambling in the armed forces, independent living for disabled people, child refugees, higher education funding, music education, and prescription opiates. In the House of Commons the Second Church Estates Commissioner asked the Foreign Secretary about religious literacy training for diplomats, and answered a question on Commissioner landholdings in Scotland. Continue reading “Week in Westminster, 24th-28th June 2019”
Week in Westminster, 17th-21st June 2019
This week in the House of Lords bishops spoke on intergenerational equality, antisemitism, and the new ‘breathing space’ scheme for people in serious debt. They asked questions about serious youth violence, food banks and food poverty, religious freedom and the persecution of Christians, and those with disabilities reporting abuse. In the House of Commons the Second Church Estates Commissioner answered questions from MPs on serious youth violence, clergy recruitment in London, the contribution of cathedrals to the local economy, employee pay gap, responsible investments, mobile phone masts, persecution of Christians, Thy Kingdom Come. The House of Commons passed the Church Representation and Ministers Measure. Continue reading “Week in Westminster, 17th-21st June 2019”
Week in Westminster 10th-14th June 2019
This week in the House of Lords bishops spoke on the regulation of online spaces, and Coventry City of Culture. They asked questions about lessons from Grenfell Tower, investment in peacebuilding, homophobic and misogynistic attacks, religious freedom in Hong Kong, support for young carers, and 5G mobile networks. In the House of Commons the Second Church Estates Commissioner answered questions on affordable housing, land and forestry ownership in Scotland, grants, and coal use in churches and vicarages. Week in Westminster 3rd-7th June 2019
This week in the House of Lords bishops introduced the Church Representation and Ministers Measure for approval, and spoke in debates on climate change and renewable energy, and heritage railways. They also asked questions about voluntary sector involvement in probation services, Egypt and Sudan, and rural bus services. In the House of Commons the Second Church Estates Commissioner answered a question about affordable housing. Prime Minister resignation statement – Archbishop and Lords Spiritual Convenor respond
On the 24th May 2019 Theresa May announced that she would be standing down as Prime Minister and Leader of the Conservative Party. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Birmingham, who is Convenor of the Lords Spiritual, issued the following statements in response: Continue reading “Prime Minister resignation statement – Archbishop and Lords Spiritual Convenor respond”
