Category: Questions

Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons

Bishop of Coventry asks about Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Transcaucasus region

The Bishop of Coventry received the following written answers on 10th October 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the clashes along the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan which began on 12 September; and what representations they have made to the governments of those countries in relation to (1) the exercise of restraint, and (2) the observation of agreements which ended the 2020 Nagorno–Karabakh war.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about aid to Afghanistan

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 10th October 2022:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government how much UK overseas aid they provided to Afghanistan in (1) 2017, (2) 2018, (3) 2019, (4) 2020, and (5) 2021.

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Church Commissioners Written Answers: Repairs and Maintenance, Vandalism

Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from an MP on 30th September 2022:

Dr Matthew Offord MP (Con): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what recent discussions he has had with the Church Commissioners about repair and renewal of the church estate.

Andrew Selous MP (Con): The Church Commissioners and Archbishops’ Council have agreed to funding of £11 million for 2023-25 in support of Buildings for Mission, which includes £2m for places of worship maintenance/repairs, and funding for up to 20 support officers to work with communities on the care of their church buildings. This is alongside a one-off commitment of £190 million (over nine years) to support the whole Church, including its buildings, in the transition towards Net Zero 2030.

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Church Commissioners Written Answers: Church land

Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP on 16th September 2022:

Mark Eastwood MP (Con): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church has taken to ensure that an (a) Agricultural Land Classification and (b) Soil Assessment is undertaken prior to any applications being submitted to Kirklees Council relating to land at Heybeck, Batley and Chidswell, Dewsbury.

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Bishop of Durham speaks in a debate on GCSE and A-Level Results: Attainment Gap

On 8th September 2022, the Bishop of Durham spoke in a debate on the attainment gap in exam results, regarding children in North East England:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I begin by expressing, on behalf of these Benches, our concern for Her Majesty, and the assurance of our thoughts and prayers for her and the Royal Family.

I am grateful to the noble Baroness for securing this debate and pay tribute to the way she has stood up for the young people of the north-east throughout her distinguished career. I declare my interests as chair of the National Society and the Durham Diocesan Board of Finance.

I begin by celebrating the success of our young people and their teachers, particularly those of the north-east, in the recent A-level and GCSE examination results in both schools and further education colleges. However, we cannot hide away from the gap between the north and the south of England—the stats have already been quoted, so I will not repeat them. The most recent figures continue to show that disadvantaged communities in the north continue to be hit hardest by the Covid pandemic and its impact on learning. Poverty is in every north-east postcode and is set to worsen. Headlines include, for example:

“In 2020/21, the North East overtook London to have the highest rate of child poverty in the UK, at 38%”.

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Bishop of Durham asks about care homes

The Bishop of Durham asked the following question about a proposal to discharge people from hospitals to care homes on 8th September 2022, during a debate on energy costs in care homes:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I was going to ask a very similar question; the Minister did not answer the specific question about the Secretary of State’s proposal that she may move people from hospitals into care homes and ensuring that that is joined up. Will he comment on that proposal?

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Church Commissioner Questions: Ukrainian Refugees, Persecuted Christians, Holy Trinity Church Wingate, Affordable and Sustainable Housing, and Accessibility of Churches

 On 8th September 2022, MPs put questions in the House of Commons to the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP:

Ukrainian Refugees

Greg Smith (Buckingham) (Con):

1. What steps the Church is taking to help support Ukrainian refugees. 

Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con):

7. What steps the Church is taking to help support Ukrainian refugees.

Andrew Selous: Six bishops and hundreds of clergy have Ukrainian evacuees living with them, and the Church of England is using vacant vicarages in a number of places. Churches are also actively involved in recruiting new hosts where needed.

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Bishop of Oxford asks about the cost of energy

On 6th September 2022, the Bishop of Oxford asked a question on energy bills for low income families:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, it is very good to hear that a plan is in place to address this catastrophe, which is concerning so many people, and to bring help to households. What steps will the Government take to address this fundamental failure of the market, such that huge, almost unimaginable profits are accruing to energy companies, while the poorest in the country face the dreadful choice between heating and eating?

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Bishop of Exeter asks about warship maintenance and repairs

The Bishop of Exeter received the following written answer on 5th September 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter asked Her Majesty’s Government, further to the announcement of the £55 million contract to regenerate HMS Quorn, a former Royal Navy mine-hunting vessel, what plans they have for further refurbishment of naval vessels to bolster NATO’s maritime capability.

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Bishop of Durham asks about debts and universal credit

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answers on 5th September 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect of government debt deductions on Universal Credit recipients’ ability to afford essential items; and what steps they are taking to prevent debt deductions contributing to destitution as the cost of living increases.

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