Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons
On 16th September 2020 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, answered a written question from Jim Shannon MP, on the response to coronavirus:
Jim Shannon: [89698]: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to meet the needs of parishioners during the covid-19 outbreak. Continue reading “Church Commissioners’ written answer: Church response to coronavirus”
On 15th September 2020 Lord Lexden asked the Government “what role the Law Officers have in ensuring that the rule of law is maintained in (1) the development of domestic legislation and (2) their policies relating to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from and future relationship with the European Union.” The Bishop of Carlisle, Rt Revd James Newcome, asked a follow-up question:
The Lord Bishop of Carlisle: My Lords, can the Minister confirm that the Government recognise that any attempt unilaterally to modify the terms of the withdrawal agreement would adversely affect not only future trade partners but also the confidence that EU citizens resident in this country will place in the commitments that the United Kingdom has made under the agreement? The confidence of British citizens resident in EU countries would also be damaged if they saw that treaty commitments could simply be set aside. Can he offer any reassurance in either regard? Continue reading “Bishop of Carlisle asks Government to reassure EU and UK citizens of their treaty commitments”
On Tuesday 15th September 2020 Lord Hunt of Kings Heath asked the Government “in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, what plans they have for changes to the NHS long-term plan.” The Bishop of Carlisle, Rt Revd James Newcome, asked a follow-up question:
The Lord Bishop of Carlisle: My Lords, given that the health protection remit of Public Health England is to be subsumed into the new national institute for health protection, can the Minister tell us what steps Her Majesty’s Government will take to ensure that health inequalities are robustly addressed through programmes of health education and promotion, as envisaged in chapter 2 of the NHS Long Term Plan? Continue reading “Bishop of Carlisle asks Government about tackling health inequalities”
On 14th September 2020 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, answered a written question from Alexander Stafford MP on Christian persecution:
Alexander Stafford: [88422]: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment the Church of England has made of the extent of global persecution of Christians during the covid-19 pandemic. Continue reading “Church Commissioners’ Written Answer: Christian persecution worldwide”
On 14th September 2020 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, answered a written question from Rachael Maskell MP on support for cathedrals during the coronavirus outbreak:
Rachael Maskell: [87595]: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what support is being made available to cathedrals to tackle the financial challenges they are facing as a result of the covid-19 outbreak. Continue reading “Church Commissioners’ written answer: support for cathedrals”
On 14th September 2020 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, answered a written question from Barry Sheerman MP, on coronavirus guidance for weddings:
Mr Barry Sheerman [81536]: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps he is taking to ensure the accuracy of guidance issue to people planning weddings to (a) protect the finances of those people and minimise disruption to weddings.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners’ written answer: coronavirus and weddings”
On 14th September 2020 the Second Church Estates Commissioner Andrew Selous MP answered eleven written questions from Jim Shannon MP, on ethical investment, St Margaret’s Westminster, Christian persecution, South Sudan, church schools, coronavirus and church buildings, lead theft, the Beirut explosion, marriage, mental health, and ordinations: Continue reading “Church Commissioner Written Answers: ethical investment, St Margaret’s Westminster, Christian persecution, South Sudan, church schools, coronavirus, church buildings, lead theft, Beirut explosion, marriage, mental health, ordinations”
On 14th September 2020 the Second Church Estates Commissioner Andrew Selous MP answered a written question from Mark Pritchard MP on the effect of extending the London congestion charge to Sundays: Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Answer: Sunday Congestion Charge”
On 10th September 2020 Members of the House of Lords questioned Government on what plans they have to review gambling legislation. Rt Revd Alan Smith, Bishop of St Albans, asked a question:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans (V): My Lords, with the significant increase in gambling harms during lockdown, are Her Majesty’s Government satisfied that the Gambling Commission has adequate resources to do its work? Is the Minister content with the commission reducing its staffing to make savings at the very point when it needs to take additional action to regulate online gambling? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans says Gambling Commission inadequately resourced”
On 10th September 2020 MPs asked questions of the Church Commissioners, represented by Andrew Selous MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner. A full transcript is below:
The hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked—
Covid-19: Mental Health
James Sunderland (Bracknell) (Con): What steps the Church of England is taking to support mental health during the covid-19 outbreak. [905855]
The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Andrew Selous): This is a timely question from my hon. Friend, on World Suicide Prevention Day. The Church’s healthcare chaplains work in both acute and community mental health services. The diocese of Manchester provides mental health wellbeing youth workers, to provide mental health first aid, and the parish of Goudhurst in Kilndown in Kent provides subsidised mental health counselling in 13 schools. Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions: covid-19, mental health, debt advice, youth work, online worship, overseas aid, racism”
The Church of England in Parliament 
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