Category: Questions

Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons

Bishop of Durham asks Government about right to work of asylum seekers

On 3rd November 2020 the Bishop of Durham received a written answer to three questions to Government on the right to work of asylum seekers:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 29 September (HL8116), what plans they have to publish the terms of reference for the Home Office review into the right to work of asylum seekers. [HL9359]

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 29 September (HL8116), what external organisations have been (1) formally, and (2) informally, consulted as part of the Home Office review into the right to work of asylum seekers. [HL9360]

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the response by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 9 September (HL Deb, col 820), when the review into the right to work of asylum seekers will be laid before the House. [HL9361] Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks Government about right to work of asylum seekers”

Bishop of St Albans asks about gambling and armed forces

On 3rd November 2020 the Bishop of St Albans received a written answer to two questions on gambling and the armed forces:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the existing syllabus for new recruits to the armed forces currently includes training on gambling related harm. [HL9440]

 The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to enact legislation similar to the Gambling Addiction Prevention Act 2019 in the United States, which legally requires the development and implementation of policies and programmes to prevent and treat gambling disorders among members of the armed forces and their dependants. [HL9441] Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about gambling and armed forces”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about possible war crimes by Azerbaijan military

On 3rd November 2020 the Bishop of St Albans received a written answer to a question on the behaviour of the Azerbaijan military in Nagorno Karabakh:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the validity of footage showing Azerbaijan Military personnel executing two Armenian prisoners of war; and whether this constitutes a violation of the Geneva Convention. [HL9582] Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about possible war crimes by Azerbaijan military”

Bishop of St Albans asks about human rights in China

On 3rd November 2020 the Bishop of St Albans received a written answer to a question on China’s election to the UN Human Rights Council:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the government of China’s election to the UN Human Rights Council on 13 October, and (2) the impact of that election on that Council’s ability to hold the government of China accountable for the human rights situation in that country. [HL9378] Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about human rights in China”

Bishop of St Albans asks about funding for fibre broadband

On 3rd November 2020 the Bishop of St Albans received a written answer to a question on fibre broadband:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the announcement that the long-term spending review will be replaced by a one-year spending review, whether plans to service the UK with fibre broadband by 2025 will be included as a multi-year capital allocation priority infrastructure project. [HL9493] Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about funding for fibre broadband”

Bishop of St Albans asks whether sef-determination for Nagorno-Karabakh will protect Armenians from ethnic cleansing

On Monday 2nd November 2020 Baroness Cox asked the Government, “further to the genocide emergency alert issued by Genocide Watch about the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, what assessment they have made of their obligations as a signatory to the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.” The Bishop of St Albans asked a further question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans [V]: Will the Minister comment on whether Her Majesty’s Government believe that the criteria used to recognise Kosovo and the principle of internal self-determination which protects minority rights equally applies to the Armenians and Nagorno-Karabakh and on whether recognition might, as in Kosovo, prevent the possible ethnic cleansing of Armenians, which has historically characterised territorial border conflicts in that part of the Caucasus? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks whether sef-determination for Nagorno-Karabakh will protect Armenians from ethnic cleansing”

Bishop of Winchester asks about tax avoidance by corporations in less developed countries

On 2nd November 2020 Lord Harries of Pentregarth asked the Government “what steps they are taking in their discussions relating to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting 2.0 Project to prioritise a fairer settlement for those less economically developed countries who lose income as a result of tax avoidance by multinational corporations”. The Bishop of Winchester asked a question:

The Lord Bishop of Winchester [V]: My Lords, I underline what the noble and right reverend Lord, Lord Harries, has brought into focus. The loss of corporate tax—about 3% from high-income economies compared with 9% for low-income ones—further exacerbates the impact of coronavirus on trade and tourism. For example, sub-Saharan Africa currently faces its first recession in 25 years, with up to 14 million people driven into extreme poverty. Can the Minister assure the House that Her Majesty’s Government will urgently offer the OECD technical support in the form of revenue analysis along with support for legislative and policy measures so that countries that wish to implement unilateral tax reforms will have the wherewithal and advice to do so in the best way?

Continue reading “Bishop of Winchester asks about tax avoidance by corporations in less developed countries”

Bishop of Durham asks about Burundi, human rights, refugees and relations with Rwanda

On 2nd November 2020 the Bishop of Durham received answers to three written questions on Burundi, human rights, refugees and relations with Rwanda:

Burundi: Human Rights

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking in response to the report by the UN Human Rights Council Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi, published on 16 September. [HL9364] Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about Burundi, human rights, refugees and relations with Rwanda”

Bishop of Bristol on migrant tragedy: English Channel must not become a graveyard for children

On 29th October Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale asked the Government, “following the deaths of at least four people in the English Channel, what steps they are taking to protect asylum seekers and victims of human trafficking who are fleeing persecution and seeking refuge in the UK.”. The Bishop of Bristol asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of Bristol [V]: My Lords, as we have already heard, the death of anyone trying to reach the UK in search of safety is tragic, and the tragedy is multiplied when it is the death of a family. Save the Children is right to say that the English Channel must not become a graveyard for children. With that in mind, can the Minister update the House on the resumption of the refugee resettlement programme which was suspended in March? Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol on migrant tragedy: English Channel must not become a graveyard for children”

Bishop of Salisbury asks about tree planting, species and habitat destruction

On 29th October the Bishop of Salisbury received written answers to two questions of Government, on (i) tree planting targets and (ii) working with business to address species and habitat destruction caused by UK supply chains:

The Lord Bishop of Salisbury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to reach their tree planting target as set out in the Tree Planting Strategy; and if they have not reached that target, what assessment they have made of the reasons why they have not done so. [HL9249] Continue reading “Bishop of Salisbury asks about tree planting, species and habitat destruction”