Questions – Page 117 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Leeds asks about European Court of Human Rights

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on the need for global and regional cooperation in facing challenges during a debate on the relationship between the UK and the European Court of Human Rights on 25th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, does the Minister agree with me that global and regional challenges need global and regional solutions, and that individual countries seeking to disapply do not help the situation?

Bishop of St Albans asks about access to medication to treat neurological conditions

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 25th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Servier to expand access to vorasidenib for patients that might benefit by including it in the early access to medicines scheme, or by any other means.

Bishop of Durham asks about children’s wellbeing

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 25th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Children’s Society’s The Good Childhood Report 2023, published on 20 September, and what plans they have to implement its recommendations to promote the wellbeing of children.

Lord Markham (Con, DHSC): The Government is grateful for the Good Childhood Report and has noted its findings. The Children’s Commissioner’s Family Review covers similar issues and the Government’s response to this will be published imminently.

Bishop of Durham asks about housing for refugees

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answers on 25th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked His Majesty’s Government, following the High Court ruling that the use of hotels to house unaccompanied asylum-seeking children is unlawful, what steps they will take to end the use of hotels for this purpose.

Lord Murray of Blidworth (Con, Home Office): Hotel accommodation is a temporary means to accommodate the increased number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) arriving in the UK and is only ever a contingency option, not a long-term solution. The high number of UASC arrivals, particularly because of small boat crossings, has placed unprecedented pressure on the National Transfer Scheme (NTS). Out of necessity, the Home Office have accommodated UASC on an emergency and temporary basis in hotels while placements with local authorities have been vigorously pursued.

Bishop of Derby asks about mental health services for young people

The Bishop of Derby received the following written answer on 24th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Derby asked His Majesty’s Government, following the Children’s Society’s The Good Childhood Report 2023, published on 20 September, what steps the Department of Health and Social Care’s Major Conditions Strategy will take to prevent poor mental health and promote wellbeing in children and young people.

Bishop of Durham asks about impact of COVID-19 on the charity sector

The Lord Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 24th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of COVID-19 on the number of volunteers in the charity sector, and what steps they are taking to support charities to recruit a sufficient number of volunteers.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con, DCMS): His Majesty’s Government recognises how vital volunteering is for society, reaping benefits for those who volunteer as well as the organisations they assist. The Government aims to remove barriers which prevent people from getting involved.

Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham urges access for medical supplies to enter Gaza following bombing of the Al-Ahli hospital

The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on the airstrike on the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza on 19th October 2023, highlighting the need for medical supplies and aid to be allowed entry to Gaza and calling for hospitals to be protected:

The Lord Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham: I am grateful to the Minister for highlighting the very real connections that there are between the Anglican Church and the hospital. The Al-Ahli hospital is run by the Anglican province of Jerusalem, as he knows, and built around the sacred and historic St Philip’s church, which was subject to such an horrendous incident on Tuesday. We grieve with all those who grieve the suffering and the innocent deaths in Israel and Gaza arising from the atrocious attack by Hamas.

Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham asks about impact of NHS waiting times

On 19th October 2023, the Bishop of & Nottingham asked a question on the impact of long NHS waiting times on children and families:

The Lord Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham: My Lords, the delays in treatment for long-term sickness do not just affect those returning to work but have a secondary impact on family life. Have the Government assessed the effect of these delays on children and young people under 18, who frequently take on additional caring responsibilities for parents with long-term sickness, although this is often detrimental to their education and their emotional and mental health?

Bishop of Sheffield asks about employment support for people with long term health conditions

The Bishop of Sheffield asked a question about support for programmes allowing people with health conditions to find and remain in paid employment on 18th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, one such initiative that supports people with a health condition to find and remain in paid employment is called Working Win. It has been piloted in South Yorkshire, and I am assured that both the DWP and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority consider the pilot to have been a success. What plans do the Government have to roll out this health-led employment programme more widely?

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