Category: Questions

Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons

Caroline Spelman highlights Church schools works in teaching financial literacy

spelman170119cOn 19th June 2019 the Economic Secretary to the Treasury (John Glen) made a statement on supporting people in problem debt. The Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, asked a follow-up question:

Dame Caroline Spelman: I welcome this statement and the Government going beyond their original manifesto commitment. It gives me a chance to thank my citizens advice bureau, which has done fantastic work on debt rescheduling during my 22 years as an MP.

Does the Minister welcome the Church of England’s initiative to teach financial literacy in its primary schools, and would he encourage rolling out such an approach to prevention more widely?

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Church Commissioners Written Answer: Thy Kingdom Come

spelman170119On 18th June 2019 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question, from Gregory Campbell MP, on transformative projects:

Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): 264348 To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, which projects the Church of England funded to help transform communities as part of the Thy Kingdom Come events.

Dame Caroline Spelman: Thy Kingdom Come is an ecumenical prayer movement started by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 2017, which has grown into an annual global movement of prayer. It is supported by His Holiness the Pope and in 2018 over 65 different denominations and traditions held events across 114 countries. Major beacon events took place in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. More information can be found here.

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Bishop of Leeds asks Government about strategy for promoting freedom of religion or belief

On 18th June 2019  the Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, received five written answers from Government, about religious freedom and the persecution of Christians:Leeds0518c

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: HL16018 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their strategy for promoting and protecting freedom of religion or belief as an objective of UK foreign policy.

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Bishop of Ely highlights needs of those with disabilities in reporting abuse

Ely 2On 17th June 2019 Baroness Hussein-Ece asked the Government “what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the support received by people with a disability when they report any form of abuse to appropriate authorities”. The Bishop of Ely, Rt Revd Stephen Conway, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of Ely: My Lords, it is important to consider also that there are various ways in which people with disability might be prevented from reporting abuse in the first place. In particular, some people with learning difficulties might not understand or recognise that they are being abused psychologically or financially. Does the Minister agree that information regarding abuse needs to be produced in accessible formats, such as easy read, and should ideally be produced in conjunction with people with disability themselves?

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Bishop of Coventry supports Bill to improve access to palliative care

On 14th June 2019 the House of Lords debated the Access to Palliative Care Bill [HL], a Private Member’s Bill introduced by Baroness Finlay of Llandaff. The Bishop of Coventry spoke in the debate, in support of the Bill.

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, I declare an interest as a patron of Mary Ann Evans Hospice in Nuneaton.

One of the privileges of my calling has been to accompany people in the latter stages of their lives, visiting their bedsides, preparing them in soul and spirit for the next stage of their lives, and watching over their bodies when death has finally come for them. Through it all, I have tried to support their loved ones as they have travelled this hard road, all the time admiring the skills, diligence and compassion of nurses and medics in hospitals and hospices. I have seen that there is such a thing as a good, and even a beautiful, death.

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Bishop of St Albans asks Government about support for young carers

On 13th June 2019 Baroness Brinton asked the Government “what steps they are taking to ensure that unpaid carers receive the support to which they are entitled.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I am sure that we all want to encourage stronger family and community life, which is the very bedrock of healthy societies, but there is one group in particular that needs help and that is the 166,000 underage carers in England. Research by the Children’s Society suggests that that is just the tip of the iceberg—indeed, a huge underestimate. Many of these young people do not realise that they classify as carers: it is just what they have had to deal with. In many cases it is affecting their schooling and mental health. What are Her Majesty’s Government able to do to help and support underage carers in particular?

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Church Commissioners Written Answer: Affordable housing

On 13th June 2019 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Frank Field MP on affordable housing:

Frank Field (Birkenhead):  262248 To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2019 to Question 259013, how many affordable homes have been built by the Church of England or its agents in each local authority area since 2015; and what the affordable housing requirement is in each of those local authority areas.

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Church Commissioners Written Answer: Grants

On 13th June 2019 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Fiona Bruce MP on grants to the Archbishops’ Council:
Fiona Bruce (Congleton): 262341 To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church Commissioners have the authority to make grants to the Archbishop’s Council.

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Church Commissioner Written Answers: Land and forestry in Scotland

On 13th June 2019 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered three written questions from Deidre Brock MP on church land and forestry holdings in Scotland:

Deidre Brock (Edinburgh North and Leith) 262402 : To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what the Church of England’s landholdings are in Scotland.

Dame Caroline Spelman: The Church Commissioners hold 12,333.67 hectares of land in Scotland.

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Bishop of St Albans asks Government about 5G mobile networks

StAlbans051218On the 13th June 2019 the bishop of St Albans the Rt Revd Alan Smith received a written answer from the government about 5G spectrum sharing.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by Nominet 5G spectrum sharing, published in September 2018, which explores dynamic spectrum access possibilities for 5G. [HL16047]

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