Questions – Page 165 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of St Albans asks about fire safety of sky lanterns

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 13th December 2022:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government whether they will list all incidents of fires having been caused by sky lanterns in the last five years.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con): Data collected through the Fire and Rescue Service Incident Recording System (IRS) does not include data on whether fire incidents attended were caused by or involved sky lanterns.

The Home Office collects data on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs), with this data including the cause of the fire and the source of ignition. This data is published in a variety of publications, available at Gov.UK.

Hansard

Bishop of Gloucester asks about Royal Commission on Criminal Justice

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 13th December 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Lord Bellamy on 28 November (HL Deb col 1561), what plans they have to announce (1) the timeframe, and (2) the terms of reference, for the Royal Commission on the criminal justice process, as announced in the Queen’s Speech on 19 December 2019.

Bishop of St Albans asks about classifying agriculture and horticulture as vulnerable sectors

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 13th December 2022:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the need to classify (1) agriculture, and (2) horticulture, as a vulnerable sector.

Lord Benyon (Con): We understand that the global spike in oil and gas prices has affected the price of agricultural commodities, which are always closely correlated to energy costs. The Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide a price reduction to make sure that all businesses, including farmers, food producers, manufacturers and packagers, are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period.

HM Treasury will publish a review into the operation of the scheme to inform decisions on future support after March 2023. The review will focus in particular on identifying the most vulnerable non-domestic customers and how the government will continue assisting them with energy costs.

Church Commissioners Written Answers: Mission and Pastoral Measures, Vision and Strategy

Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs on 13th December 2022:

Mr Ben Bradshaw MP (Lab): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, which (a) body or (b) person asked the Church Commissioners to review the Mission and Pastoral Measure.

Andrew Selous MP (Con): In 2019 the Legislative Reform Committee of the Archbishops’ Council was tasked with considering reviews of primary legislation. In July 2020 the Archbishops’ Council approved a recommendation from the Committee that the Mission and Pastoral Measure be reviewed, and this was endorsed by the House of Bishops at their meeting in July 2020. The Church Commissioners were then asked by the Archbishops’ Council to lead on a review, as they have the governance and management responsibility for the legislation.

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about support for Iranians in the UK following protests and executions in Iran

The Bishop of Chelmsford asked a question about support for Iranians in the UK with loved ones in Iran on 12th December 2022, in light of the recent arrests and executions of protesters in Iran:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: My Lords, the news of the executions in Iran is deeply concerning and heart-breaking. I declare an interest as someone who originally comes from Iran and still has friends and loved ones there. There are likely to be many more executions still to come, with a dozen death sentences already issued. I would be grateful if the Minister could outline what support the Government are providing to Iranians in the UK who are seeking to ensure the safety of loved ones in Iran.

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about housing support for migrant survivors of domestic abuse

The Bishop of Chelmsford asked a question about support for migrant survivors during a debate on housing support for domestic abuse survivors on 12th December 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: My Lords, in addressing this very important Question, I think we should also consider the experience of migrant survivors who may have insecure status or no recourse to public funds or may be frightened of repercussions for contacting the police. Will the Minister outline what progress the Government have made in the light of the DAC’s recommendation to develop a long-term funding solution that ensures that a clear universal pathway to support is available to domestic abuse survivors regardless of migration status and whether they will be reporting on the results of the pilot project to support migrant survivors?

Bishop of Carlisle asks about new coal mine in Cumbria

The Bishop of Carlisle asked a question concerning the proposed opening of a new coal mine in Whitehaven, Cumbria, on 8th December 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Carlisle: My Lords, I declare a slight interest in this topic, since Whitehaven is in my diocese, and like the noble Baroness, Lady Hayman, I live in west Cumbria—in a particularly beautiful part of it, I have to say. This debate has now been running for more than two years, and in Cumbria, as in the whole country, it has been highly contentious, with a great deal of passion expressed on both sides. We have already heard some of that passion in the debate this evening. So I am acutely aware of the many arguments about both the potential environmental impact, which has been deplored, and the employment opportunities, which would—as has already been mentioned—be very welcome in this very deprived part of the country.

Bishop of St Albans asks about access to the BBC in China

The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on what advice had been given on how to access the BBC World News Channel following its ban in China, during a debate on protection of media freedom on 8th December 2022:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, following China’s banning of the BBC World News channel, what advice has been given, as has been given in countries such as Russia, on the use of VPNs and ways around the ban? The importance of broadcasting accurate reporting into China is increasing as we face so many crackdowns on minority groups.

Bishop of Durham asks about support for community and voluntary organisations

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 8th December 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked His Majesty’s Government, further to the report by THEOS A Torn Safety Net, published on 7 November, what steps they are taking to support charities and organisations who have experienced a decline in volunteers and donations, and an increase in costs, as a result of the increased cost of living.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con): We know that, as households and communities face rising prices, many charities and civil society organisations are contending with the same price increases themselves while also seeing more demand for their services.

With the support of His Majesty Government, charities and civil society organisations have shown significant resilience over the past two years, and will again be crucial in supporting people through the winter.

Bishop of Durham asks about funded early education for children of migrants with no recourse to public funds

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 8th December 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked His Majesty’s Government how many children subject to No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) conditions are in receipt of the 15 hours a week of free early education available to disadvantaged two-year old children.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: