Category: Questions

Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons

Bishop of St Albans asks about actions of companies supporting the Beijing Winter Olympics

The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on possible sanctions or boycotts against companies supporting the Beijing Winter Olympics in light of human rights abuses by China on 10th February:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans [V]: My Lords, I am sure none of us wants to see a boycott of the Winter Olympics, yet we are seeing unprecedented human rights abuses and we will be judged by future generations on how we respond. Have Her Majesty’s Government considered what actions they might take against companies that are either official sponsors, suppliers or partners of these Games and that are bidding for public contracts?

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Archbishop of Canterbury asks about construction of affordable housing

The Archbishop of Canterbury received the following written answer on 10th February 2021:

The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether their target for the number of affordable homes that they want to see built is sufficient to meet the demand for such homes.

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Bishop of Coventry asks about voices of UK Overseas Territories at COP 26

The Bishop of Coventry asked a question on ensuring representation of voices from UK Overseas Territories at COP 26 on 9th February 2021, following a discussion on the preparedness of these territories for humanitarian and disaster relief operations:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, climate change is the context in which this conversation is happening. Given the marine diversity and repository of so much of the world’s biodiversity in the overseas territories, how will the Government ensure that the voices of the overseas territories will be amplified in the forthcoming COP 26 summit?

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Archbishop of Canterbury asks about definition of affordable housing

The Archbishop of Canterbury received the following written answer on 9th February 2021:

The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury asked Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 26 January (HL Deb, col 1500), what assessment they have made of the level of household income that would be needed to afford a home defined as “affordable”.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about use of surplus COVID-19 vaccines

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 9th February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government how many COVID-19 vaccination doses they have ordered in total; whether they intend to order more doses than the number required to vaccinate the population of the UK; and if so, what plans they have to ensure that any surplus doses are used effectively.

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Bishop of Winchester asks about support for graduating students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic

On 8th February 2021, the Bishop of Winchester asked a question on support for students seeking graduate jobs on 8th February 2021, following a government statement on the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on university students:

The Lord Bishop of Winchester [V]: My Lords, while the short-term support offered by the Government to students facing financial difficulties is most welcome, the pandemic has also generated uncertainty about graduate employment in the short, medium and long term. What plans do Her Majesty’s Government have for supporting students and graduates who are or will be seeking skilled graduate employment?

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Bishop of St Albans asks about risks posed by genetically modified food

The Bishop of St Albans tabled a question on potential risks associated with genetically modified food production in the UK on 8th February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans [V]: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential (1) health, and (2) environmental, risks associated with approving genetically modified food production in the United Kingdom.

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Bishop of Coventry asks about ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan

The Bishop of Coventry received the following written answers on 4th February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that Armenian Churches in areas returned to Azerbaijan have been labelled as ‘Caucasian Albanian’; what discussions they have with the government of Azerbaijan about such reports; and what discussions they have had with the government of Russia about ensuring that Armenian culture is protected in line with the Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, made on 9 November 2020.

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Bishop of Bristol asks about elections in Uganda

The Bishop of Bristol received the following written answer on 4th February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Bristol asked Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Uganda about reports (1) of intimidation, (2) that that government restricted access to online services and social media, and (3) of other irregularities, during the general election in that country on 14 January.

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Bishop of Salisbury asks about investment in renewable energy

The Bishop of Salisbury asked a question on research and investment in renewable energy on 3rd February 2021, during a discussion on the impact of electricity delays on the UK energy supply:

The Lord Bishop of Salisbury [V]: My Lords, the price of electricity from Hinkley is remaining unchanged at £92.50 per megawatt hour, and EDF is expecting the same profit of more than 7.1% on its investment. Given that, can the Minister explain the points that she has just made about how the additional 30% of construction costs on the initial £18 billion budget is being absorbed at no cost to consumers? As the price of electricity from renewables has dropped—with wind now at £40 per megawatt hour—might not research and development into renewals have been a better investment? Hinkley already looks like transitional technology.

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