Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons
On 23rd September 2021, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:
Chris Loder MP (Con, West Dorset): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, how many clergy have taken their own lives in the last five years.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Suicide among members of the Clergy”On 16th September 2021, during a debate on building safety regulations, the Bishop of St Albans asked a question on the “polluter pays” principle of building safety, which would ensure that leaseholders would not be financially burdened by building safety requirements:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, many people do not seem to realise that this is having a devastating effect on people of every social class. I was 10 minutes late coming in because I was hearing about a lawyer living in St Albans, where I live, who now faces bankruptcy and may no longer be able to practise if she is made bankrupt. If you buy a defective car it gets recalled and has to be sorted out. What attention and consideration are Her Majesty’s Government giving to the polluter pays principle, which we need to build into this issue if we are to address this devastating problem unfolding before our very eyes?
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about building safety costs affecting leaseholders”On 16th September 2021, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:
Dr Matthew Offord MP (Con, Hendon): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Commissioners will make representations to Church leaders on allowing people to marry in any church of their choosing.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Marriage, Appointment of Bishops”On 13th September 2021, the Bishop of Blackburn tabled a question on gambling disorders in the military on behalf of the Bishop of St Albans:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to legislate (1) to require annual medical screening questions related to gambling disorder in the military, and (2) to annually assess the prevalence of gambling disorder among members of the armed forces.
The Lord Bishop of Blackburn: My Lords, with the leave of the House, I ask the Question standing on the Order Paper in the name of my colleague the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of St Albans.
Continue reading “Bishop of Blackburn tables question on gambling in the military on behalf of the Bishop of St Albans”On 13th September 2021, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from an MP:
Alexander Stafford MP (Con, Rother Valley): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what most recent financial estimates the Church of England holds on the outstanding cost of fabric repairs to its parish churches.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church Maintenance and Repairs”The Bishop of Oxford asked a question on the government’s planned timeline for introducing support and information for those working to help buildings meet net-zero targets on 9th September 2021:
The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, I thank the Minister for his Answer. As your Lordships may be aware, the Church of England has declared a climate emergency and is aiming for net zero by 2030. In the diocese of Oxford, we are stewards of 470 parsonages and many other buildings. We have a lot of work to do, and a lot of investment is required to bring those buildings to net zero. Two things are preventing us making progress; we clearly need to spread the work over a decade. The first is knowing the Government’s plans for home heating and the second is the help and support that will be available from government for those changes. The system needs to be simple and sustainable and to carry confidence. When will we know the way forward?
Continue reading “Bishop of Oxford asks about timeline for government support and information on net-zero building”The Bishop of Oxford asked a question on the need for education to combat climate denialism on 7th September 2021, during a debate on a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis.
The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, we all agree, I am sure, that the climate emergency is an immensely complex subject with many different facets. There is an urgent need and responsibility to educate and engage the public in responsible ways on the urgent priority of public and private action. Does the Minister agree that investment and a serious programme of public engagement are needed to combat climate change deniers, climate change delayers and those who say that there is no hope and nothing can be done? What are the Government’s plans for this?
Continue reading “Bishop of Oxford asks about efforts to combat climate change denial”On 6th September 2021, the Archbishop of York spoke during a discussion on the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, urging the government to work with faith leaders to facilitate discussions with community members on the demolition of the tower and future use of the site:
The Lord Archbishop of York: My Lords, as I am sure many noble Lords know, my colleague, the Bishop of Kensington, and other community, Christian and faith leaders, have been hugely involved with survivors’ and victims’ groups in Grenfell, where there is, of course, much pain and anxiety caused by the newspaper reports over the weekend. Although it is good to hear the Minister say that there will be discussions with those community groups, I urge him to consider working with the Church and other community leaders to have these discussions as a matter of urgency, because there is such concern raised at the moment and people feel as though—whether the feeling is correct or not—they are not being consulted.
Continue reading “Archbishop of York urges government to work with churches and community groups on issues surrounding the Grenfell Tower”The Archbishop of York asked a question on the expedition of new and existing asylum claims for Afghan nationals in the UK on 6th September 2021, during a debate on the progress of bilateral return agreements with EU states for the return of asylum seekers arriving in the United Kingdom:
The Lord Archbishop of York: My Lords, care and justice for asylum seekers is obviously a matter very close to the heart of the Church, Jesus himself being a refugee. Last week, the Church of England published a toolkit for the many churches that have asked us what they can do to support Afghan refugees. The Minister will know that the Church and other faith communities are among the main support works for asylum seekers. There are more than 3,000 Afghan nationals with existing asylum claims waiting for a decision, some of whom have been waiting a long time. What steps are the Government taking to expedite procedures for dealing with existing or new asylum claims by Afghan nationals, given the very changed situation and the particular stress and trauma felt by these people?
Continue reading “Archbishop of York asks about expedition of Afghan refugee claims”
The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 2nd February 2021:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government, further to their report Planning for Gigabit Delivery in 2021, published on 22 December 2020, what percentage of (1) “red: large contract procurement areas”, (2) “blue: small procurement areas”, and (3) “grey: forecast build areas”, will be covered by gigabit broadband by 2025.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about expansion of broadband coverage”
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