Category: Questions

Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons

Bishop of Guildford asks about government response to recent violence in India

The Bishop of Guildford received the following written answer on 19th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford asked His Majesty’s Government:

  • what representations they have made, if any, to the government of India about reported violence in Manipur State; and in particular, whether they have urged that government (1) to protect vulnerable communities in the state, and (2) to constrain Hindu nationalist narratives in the country which exacerbate communal tensions.
  • what steps they have taken, if any, to assist in the government of India in facilitating the return of members of tribal communities who have been displaced from their homes by violence in India’s Manipur State.
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Bishop of St Albans asks about funding for community choirs

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 19th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government how much funding they provided for community choirs in each of the past three years.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con): His Majesty’s Government recognises the huge contribution cultural groups and organisations make, not only to the economy and international reputation of the United Kingdom, but also to the wellbeing and enrichment of its people. Local choirs are an important part of many people’s lives across the UK, providing a creative outlet and strong sense of community, as well as an accessible, enjoyable cultural experience enjoyed by people of all ages.

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Bishop of Exeter asks about diseases and invasive insects affecting the health of trees

The Bishop of Exeter received the following written answers on 19th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of acute oak decline in the UK; and what steps they are taking to minimise its impact.

Lord Benyon (Con): We have a dedicated programme of risk and horizon scanning, which continuously and proactively assesses emerging threats to plant health and the potential impact on the UK.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about increased rates of tuberculosis in Sudan

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 16th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the surge in tuberculosis cases in Sudan; and what steps they are taking to provide medical aid to that country.

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Bishop of Durham asks about cap on social security benefits

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answers on 16th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked His Majesty’s Government, whether they intend to abolish the benefit cap following their research which found that only five per cent of affected households moved into work as a result of it.

Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con): The benefit cap continues to provide a work incentive and fairness for hard-working taxpaying households, whilst providing a reasonable safety net of support for the most vulnerable. The Government firmly believes that where possible it is in the best interests of children to be in working households and the benefit cap provides a clear incentive to move into work.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about exemptions from ban on sale of horticultural peat

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 16th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what exemptions will there be to the general ban on the sale of peat and peat-containing products in the retail horticultural sector from 2024.

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Church Commissioner Questions: choirs, clergy, rural parishes, families

On 15th June 2023 MPs put questions to Andrew Selous MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner, in the House of Commons:

Church Choirs: Engagement with Local Schools

Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con): What steps the Church of England is taking to encourage church choirs to engage with local schools. (905370)

The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Andrew Selous): The Church of England has enthusiastically supported the Government’s Sing Up programme, encouraging local music hubs to partner with churches, and enabling the use of skills and knowledge that schools would otherwise have to buy in. I am sure that my right hon. Friend, as a strong supporter of singing in church, will very much approve.

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Bishop of Durham asks about food aid to Ethiopia

The Bishop of Durham asked a question on diversion of food aid and use of international organisations to deliver aid during a debate on protecting the integrity of UK food aid to Ethiopia on 14th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, it happens time and again that Governments start diverting food aid and other aid away from the people who need it on the ground, and time and again we have learned that international organisations such as Christian Aid and the Red Cross, and local faith communities from all faiths, are often the very best at delivering aid and making sure it gets to the people most in need. Can the Minister tell us what is being done to try to get around the Ethiopian Government and use those organisations?

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Bishop of Leicester asks about the UK Inter-Faith Network

The Bishop of Leicester received the following written answer on 14th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the value of the Inter-Faith Network, and (2) the risks of withdrawing funding from the Network.

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Bishop of Durham asks about government’s response to Archbishops’ Commission On Families & Households

On 13th June 2023, the Bishop of Durham tabled a question on the government’s assessment of the report of the Archbishops’ Commission on Families and Households, and any steps they planned to take in response to the report’s findings:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report of the Archbishops’ Commission on Families and Households, ‘Love Matters’, published on 26 April; and what steps they plan to take in response to its findings.

Baroness Barran (Con, Department for Education): My Lords, I thank all members of the Archbishops’ Commission on Families and Households for their report, which underlines the importance of love in family life. This has particular importance for those children with a disrupted family life, hence the focus in our recent strategy for children in the social care system, Stable Homes, Built on Love. We will consider the report’s recommendations alongside the Government’s response to the Office of the Children’s Commissioner Family Review.

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