Questions – Page 111 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Durham asks about implementation of Family Hubs

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 20th November 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked His Majesty’s Government what support they are offering to local authorities to help them partner with (1) voluntary, and (2) faith, organisations in the implementation of Family Hubs.

Baroness Barran (Con, DfE): The department recognises the importance of both voluntary organisations and faith group partners to the family hub model. Both have a vital role in supporting families to improve the reach and impact of the family hub offer, particularly for those seldom heard parents and families. The department has set the expectation in its family hubs guidance that local authorities partner with voluntary and faith organisations as part of their family hub model. Family hubs bring together resources, expertise, and assets to provide an integrated offer to support families and respond to the needs of the community. The family hubs guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-programme-local-authority-guide(opens in a new tab).

Church Commissioners Questions: Engagement with Young People, Cathedrals, Same Sex Relationships, Persecuted Christians, Antisocial Behaviour, and Parish Ministry

On 16th November 2023, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following answers to questions from MPs in the House of Commons:

Engagement with Children and Young People

Bob Blackman MP (Con, Harrow East) asked: What recent progress the Church of England has made on increasing engagement with children and young people.

Church Commissioners Written Questions: Closed Churches

On 16th November 2023, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:

Priti Patel MP (Con, Witham): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Church Commissioners will review the decision to demolish the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Birch, Essex.

Bishop of St Albans asks about SEND provision in schools

During a debate on capacity for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision in schools on 15th November 2023, the Bishop of St Albans asked a question on the use of SEND provision and the need for statutory assessment of pupils needs before a transfer to alternative provision:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, the Education Committee report of September 2023 recommends that the department scrutinise the use of alternative provision settings and ensure that children and young people with SEND are transferred there only after having a statutory assessment, and not use them as a behavioural management tool. What steps has the department taken towards addressing this issue?

Bishop of Worcester asks about children’s hospices

The Bishop of Worcester asked a question on the work of hospices caring for children with terminal and long term conditions during a discussion on hospice funding on 14th November 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: My Lords, I am grateful for this announcement. We have a wonderful hospice in Worcester, the Acorns Children’s Hospice, which does extraordinary work with young people. Does the Minister accept that, although a minority of children die in hospices, the number of children cared for by them greatly exceeds that. Their work is invaluable.

Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich asks about compensation for farmers following slaughter of birds with avian flu

The Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich received the following written answer on 14th November 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich: His Majesty’s Government what compensation is available to traditional free range turkey farmers who slaughter on farm for birds that have been slaughtered and are hanging as part of the maturation process at the time bird flu is detected.

Bishop of St Albans asks about dialogue among UK community leaders concerning Israel & Palestine

On 13th November 2023, the Bishop of St Albans asked a question on support for community dialogue among leading Israelis and Palestinians in the UK:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, any violence and threat is to be deplored, wherever it comes from. I congratulate the police, who did a superb job in very difficult circumstances. Of course there will be groups of people pushing the boundaries and acting unacceptably. The danger of the media is that it gives the impression that the only game in town is the marches and demos, but many on these Benches and other Members of this House have been meeting leading Israelis and Palestinians in our local communities and finding that there are people desperately trying to reach out to others and thinking about how we can take this forward. What are His Majesty’s Government doing at the moment to mobilise some of our leading Israelis and Palestinians to try to enable talks about how we might find a more positive narrative as we go forward?

Bishop of Gloucester asks about settler violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem

The Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on the issue of settler violence on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem following a government statement on the current situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 9th November 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I too thank the Minister for all he has said and all he is doing. As we have heard, international humanitarian law exists to protect humanity at times of conflict and to shield us from acts of barbarism. In very different ways, as we have heard, both sides continue to flout that law; it is shocking. I want to return to the situation in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Does the Minister agree that the rising settler violence and movement restrictions are a matter of real concern, in terms not only of individuals killed but of families displaced and the undermining of UNRWA’s ability to deliver much-needed humanitarian support there? The reports we are receiving from the Anglican diocese in Jerusalem indicate a perilous situation, and one that is going to worsen if steps are not taken to uphold the rule of law.

Bishop of Oxford asks about effects of redundancies at British Steel plant in Scunthorpe

The Bishop of Oxford asked a question on support for those affected by redundancies at the Scunthorpe plant of British Steel on 8th November 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, many of us around this House will have experience of what happens in communities when these devastating redundancies happen. I was Bishop of Sheffield in South Yorkshire for many years and saw the effects at first hand. Can the Minister say more about the Government’s plans to invest in the area to help those affected transition through? In particular, what industries and areas of employment does he see as appropriate to the Scunthorpe area, given all the technological and industrial changes that we are seeing?

Bishop of London asks about mental health impact of the cost of living crisis

The Bishop of London asked a question on the impact the of cost of living crisis on people’s mental health on 26th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, as we have heard, our financial situation has a serious impact on our health and mental well-being. This is supported by recent polling commissioned by Christians Against Poverty. This issue is not just about more disease; it also includes malnutrition, mental health and failing to take time off when sick due to financial insecurity. What assessment have the Government made of the impact of the cost of living crisis on people’s mental health, particularly in our most deprived and vulnerable communities? What steps are the Government taking to reduce health inequalities, specifically those related to suicide?

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