Questions – Page 198 – The Church of England in Parliament

Building Safety Bill: Bishop of St Albans asks about leaseholder protections

The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on property leaseholders during a debate on building and fire safety on 15th March 2022:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: I join other noble Lords in thanking the Minister for the considerable progress he has made and his very collaborative approach as we work through the Building Safety Bill. He will be aware that the definition of a qualifying lease in the Bill is set to exclude many small private landlords. We are not talking about the big commercial set-ups but people who have one, two or possibly three flats which they bought simply to provide themselves with a pension. Do Her Majesty’s Government intend to look at that definition of a qualifying lease again? Many of those people are deeply worried at the moment.

Church Commissioners Written Answers: Clergy Dispossession and Retirement

Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs on 14th March 2022:

Ben Bradshaw MP (Lab): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, how many clergy of incumbent status have been dispossessed in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) diocese and (b) year by year; and how many schemes, including dispossession of office, are being prepared.

Bishop of St Albans asks about refugees from Ukraine

The Bishop of St Albans asked a question about guidance for local authorities during a debate on visas for Ukrainians on 10th March 2022:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, perhaps the Minister could help us a little. Ukrainians are arriving, some of them with leave to remain, but they have no recourse to public funds. For example, yesterday my chaplain at the airport in Luton was phoning me saying, “We have 12 people. They have been put up for a week in a hotel by Border Force, but that is going to come to an end on Monday.” We are currently trying to raise money and funds, and to identify places for these 12 people. This is a really serious problem facing us immediately. We want to help, but there is a very real danger that, if we cannot get the legalities sorted out, there are going to be people—particularly single people—sleeping rough by next Monday. Will clear guidance be given to local authorities, and can we try to find a way through some of these problems, which need to be addressed now?

Bishop of Leeds asks about use of chemical, nuclear and biological weapons in Ukraine

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question regarding potential use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons in Ukraine on 10th March 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: Notwithstanding that last answer, have the Government made any assessment that could be made public about the possibility of red lines, particularly in relation to biological, chemical and nuclear weapons, and how that might be communicated to the western public if such weapons were used?

Bishop of Leeds asks about support for BBC services

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question about support and resources for the BBC on 10th March 2022, during a debate on the provision of BBC services to Ukraine:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, no other broadcasting company could have flexed as quickly as the BBC has in this emergency, particularly in relation to HF shortwave broadcasting. Could the Minister at least give a commitment that the BBC as a public service broadcaster at home and abroad will be adequately supported and resourced and not undermined in the public discourse?

Church Commissioners’ Question Time, 10 March 2022

On 10th March 2022 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, answered questions from MPs in the House of Commons, freedom of religion or belief overseas, family hubs, supporting Ukrainian refugees, affordable housing, the Queen’s platinum jubilee, and the Commissioners’ Scottish landholdings.

Global Summit: Freedom of Religion or Belief

Caroline Ansell (Eastbourne) (Con): What role the Church of England has in supporting the global summit to promote freedom of religion or belief, to be hosted by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in July 2022. (905957)

The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Andrew Selous): The Church is making every effort to support that important summit to promote freedom of religion or belief. A debate was held on the lack of global religious freedom at last month’s General Synod and I am pleased that my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce), in her capacity as the Prime Minister’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, was able to brief Synod members on the huge cost of following Jesus in many parts of the world.

Bishop of Leeds asks about urgent refugee applications from Ukraine

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question regarding urgent applications from Ukrainian refugees on 9th March 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I heard yesterday that one of the refugee application centres in Poland has no available appointments until the end of April—the end of next month. This seems to be a bureaucratic answer to a humanitarian question. I received an email last night asking, “Is the UK Government ill prepared, incompetent or unwilling?”—and I do not know how to answer it.

Bishop of Leeds asks about admission of refugees from Ukraine

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question about problems with admissions during a debate on Ukrainian refugees on 8th March 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, the Government have rightly praised the generosity of the people of the United Kingdom, but there seems to be a systemic problem in allowing that generosity to be exercised. Can the Minister say something about the systemic issues and address an associated matter: how can we guarantee that the information we are given is accurate, given what has happened in Calais, for example? We keep hearing from the Government that we are leading the way, but we are patently not.

Bishop of Durham asks about listening to voices of refugees

The Bishop of Durham asked a question on how the government planned to incorporate refugee voices into creating a resettlement system on 7th March 2022, during a debate on the outcome of the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva in 2019:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, it was my privilege to speak at the resettlement conference that happened before the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva in 2019. One of the key lessons that came out of both events was to listen to the voices of refugees in helping to create the system, so that it is more effective. Could the Minister tell us how the voices of refugees in this country are being listened to in order to make the Ukraine system as effective as possible?

Bishop of Durham asks about the cost of living

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 7th March 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are planning to take to address the high cost of living, even after the rate of inflation has reduced.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: