Category: Questions

Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons

Bishop of Exeter asks about investment in social care

The Bishop of Exeter asked a question on the need for investment in the social care workforce on 4th July 2023, following a government statement on the NHS workforce plan:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: My Lords, we on these Benches very much welcome this workforce plan, in particular the expansion of places for training with a range of clinicians and the shift of gaze towards community care and prevention. Our anxiety very much mirrors that of the noble Baroness, Lady Merron, and the noble Lord, Lord Allan of Hallam. We notice that page 23 of the report says:

“This Plan is predicated on access to social care services remaining broadly in line with current levels or improving”.

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Bishop of Sheffield welcomes plans to tackle homelessness

On 4th July 2023, the Bishop of Sheffield tabled a question on government steps to tackle homelessness following the launch of the Prince of Wales’ Homewards initiative:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to tackle homelessness following the launch of the Prince of Wales’s Homewards initiative.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con): We welcome the Prince of Wales’s Homewards initiative and his interest and support in tackling homelessness. The Government have made the unprecedented commitment to end rough sleeping. In September 2022 we published our cross-government strategy, setting out how we were investing £2 billion over three years to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.

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Bishop of Exeter asks about decision to end direct payments to UK farmers

The Bishop of Exeter asked a question about the impact of the government’s decision to end direct payments to farmers on 4th July 2023, during a debate on government plans to reduce trade barriers to food imports from the EU:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: My Lords, I wonder what account His Majesty’s Government have taken of the impact of ending their direct payments to English farmers, and whether it has put them at a competitive disadvantage compared to their European counterparts.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about NHS Integrated Care Board funding applications

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 3rd July 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government how many S2 funding applications were approved in (1) NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, and (2) NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board, in (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021, and (d) 2022.

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Church Commissioners Written Answers: Independent Safeguarding Board and Truro Diocesan vacancies

On 3rd July 2023, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from an MP:

Independent Safeguarding Board

Mr Ben Bradshaw MP (Lab, Exeter): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners:

  • what steps the Church took to resolve the dispute with members of the Independent Safeguarding Board before the decision was made to give them notice.
  • whether the Commissioners made an assessment of the potential implications of any obligation to provide an independent mediator to resolve the Independent Safeguarding Board dispute.
  • what process the Church is using to appoint new members of the Independent Safeguarding Board.
  • whether the work started in phase one of the Independent Safeguarding Board will be completed following the disbanding of the Board.
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Bishop of St Albans asks about recruitment in the early years sector

On 29th June 2023, Bishop of St Albans asked a question on effective recruitment for early years and childcare settings following a government statement on childcare reform:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I join others in congratulating His Majesty’s Government for what is a very forward-looking and exciting series of announcements. The research we have on the first 1,000 years and many other pieces of research show just how vital this is, and it absolutely plays into the last debate about our economy in the long run.

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Archbishop of York asks about role of civil societies in regulating artificial intelligence

On 26th June 2023, the Archbishop of York raised a question on the inclusion of civil society representatives in conversations and debates on AI, in order to aid in building ethical frameworks for regulation of artificial intelligence:

The Lord Archbishop of York: My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble and right reverend Lord, Lord Harries, for raising this issue. I too believe that the best way for us to find the potential of AI is by paying great attention to regulation and ethics, building on what has just been said. What is best in us is beyond rationality—

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”

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Bishop of St Albans asks about support for journalists in the Horn of Africa

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 26th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support journalists, particularly women journalists, in the Horn of Africa.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about support for freedom of the press in China

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 26th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support journalists and the free press in China, particularly Xinjiang province.

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Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich raises need for comprehensive strategy to tackle poverty

On 22nd June 2023, the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asked a question on whether the government had considered the need for a comprehensive anti-poverty strategy, following a statement on cost of living support:

The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich: My Lords, we recognise the value of the immediate and urgent provision that is being suggested and those points being argued for. However, in the light of our experience of the deepening crisis, I wonder whether, because of the interlocking nature of so many factors, now is the time to be looking at a comprehensive anti-poverty strategy.

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