Category: Questions

Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons

Que sera sera

nickbaines's avatarNick Baines's Blog

This is the script of this morning’s Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:

I was checking my diary for this week when the news came in of the death of Doris Day. Whether it’s significant or not that this happened in Eurovision week, I have no idea. But, as we Brits will be exercising our foreign language skills again – nul points – in preparation for the big night, we might recall that it was Doris who introduced many of us to Spanish.

My late dad was a fan when we were kids and one of the first vinyl records he bought was one of her’s. And that’s where I heard Que sera sera – pronounced like a true Brit ever since. Que sera sera – what will be will be.

As a child I thought this was deep philosophy. You can’t change the future; what…

View original post 344 more words

Bishop of Portsmouth asks about bureaucracy in new apprenticeship system

On 13th May 2019 Lord Fox asked the Government “how many people are currently registered as undertaking (1) Intermediate, (2) Advanced, (3) Higher, and (4) Degree apprenticeships.” The Bishop of Portsmouth, Rt Revd Christopher Foster, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: Is the Minister aware—and, if not, I and perhaps other noble Lords are ready to give examples—of the bureaucratic burdens and delays being experienced? For universities, the added obligation to report to and share data with the Education and Skills Funding Agency, as well as the three usual reports, is exacerbated by an identical reporting requirement for levels 2 and 7, NVQ and postgraduate. The burden seems disproportionate. For large levy-payers, there are unexplained delays in approving new apprenticeship standards. Will the Minister urgently address these to improve take-up? Continue reading “Bishop of Portsmouth asks about bureaucracy in new apprenticeship system”

Church Commissioner written answers: Sri Lanka aid, Christian persecution in Africa

On 13th May 2019 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered two written questions from Jim Shannon MP, on aid to Sri Lanka and on persecution of Christians in African countries:

Jim Shannon (Strangford): 252642 To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to tackle the persecution of Christians in African countries; and what steps the Church of England is taking with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to highlight the persecution of Christians in those countries.

Continue reading “Church Commissioner written answers: Sri Lanka aid, Christian persecution in Africa”

Church Commissioner Questions: Persecuted Christians Review, Sri Lanka attacks, Cathedral Fire Safety

On 9th May 2019 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered questions from MPs on the Bishop of Truro’s review into persecuted Christians overseas, the attacks on Christian worshipers in Sri Lanka, and fire safety in cathedrals. The exchanges follow:CCQs 9519 Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions: Persecuted Christians Review, Sri Lanka attacks, Cathedral Fire Safety”

Bishop of Rochester suggests shared learning forum to improve diversity in public appointments

On 9th May 2019 Lord Holmes of Richmond asked the Government “what steps they are taking to increase diversity in public appointments”. The Bishop of Rochester, Rt Revd James Langstaff, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of Rochester: My Lords, I am conscious that these Benches may not embody everyone’s image of diversity. None the less, I was pleased to lead the final stages of the process by which these Benches were opened to women as well as men, although none of them is here today. I have also been chairing for the last five years a process within the Church where we are tasked with increasing the proportion of BME people in senior roles in the life of the Church. We have made some modest progress, though there is lots still to do. Nevertheless, we have learned that while legislation and processes are important, as has been indicated, so are culture, attitudes and bias. I wonder whether the Government might welcome some kind of forum within which quasi-public bodies might engage with public bodies so that we can share our learning on these matters. Continue reading “Bishop of Rochester suggests shared learning forum to improve diversity in public appointments”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about NHS plan and gambling related harm

On 9th May 2019 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on the NHS and gambling related harm and rehabilitation:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL15360 To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Manzoor on 29 January (HL12939), when they expect the NHS to publish its “clear implementation framework” of the NHS Long Term Plan which would “set out how the commitments should be delivered by local systems and ensure transparency for patients and the public”. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about NHS plan and gambling related harm”

Bishop of Leeds asks Government about action against modern slavery at hand car washes

On 9th May 2019 the Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, received a written answer to three questions about forced labour exploitation in the hand car wash sector:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds:
1. HL15278 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the prevalence of forced labour exploitation in the hand car wash sector in England and Wales.
2. HL15279 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to address forced labour exploitation in the hand car wash sector.
3. HL15280 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the report by the University of Nottingham Rights Lab Safe Car Wash App Report, published on 7 April.

Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks Government about action against modern slavery at hand car washes”

Bishop of Rochester welcomes protective security funding for places of worship

17.10 RochesterOn 7th May 2019 Baroness Williams of Trafford repeated a Statement by the Home Secretary on protective security funding for places of worship. The Bishop of Rochester, Rt Revd James Langstaff, responded to the statement: 

The Lord Bishop of Rochester: My Lords, I too am very grateful to the Minister for repeating the Statement from the other place. From these Benches, I welcome it and echo some of the things that have already been said by the noble Lord, Lord Rosser, and the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, not least about the wider context, although I recognise that this Statement has a limited focus.

The Minister has already observed the tragic events in Christchurch, Sri Lanka and San Diego. It seems to me that one of the learnings from those events is the impossibility of predicting where, or even when, a dreadful event might occur. With that in mind, I am particularly grateful for the broadening of the eligibility criteria in relation to potential grants from the fund, whereby it is now not necessary for places of worship to have experienced an incident of hate crime in order to make an application. That is an important loosening around the unpredictability of where things might occur.

Continue reading “Bishop of Rochester welcomes protective security funding for places of worship”

Bishops of St Albans and Southwark ask government to issue standards for biodegradable plastic bags

StAlbans051218On 7th May 2019 Lord Dubs asked the Government “what their latest proposals are to reduce the use of plastics.”. The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith and the Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, asked follow up questions: 

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, many consumers are now choosing to use biodegradable bags rather than plastic ones, believing these to be preferable, yet researchers from the University of Plymouth have shown that many of these bags are not in fact biodegradable. Will Her Majesty’s Government undertake to produce clear standards and guidelines so we can be sure that these are biodegradable and improve the environment, and that we are not misled?

Continue reading “Bishops of St Albans and Southwark ask government to issue standards for biodegradable plastic bags”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government what is being done to tackle hare coursing and rural crime

On 2nd May 2019 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a question he had tabled, on rural crime. The answer, his follow-up, and those of other Members are reproduced below:

Farming Communities: Rural Crime

Question

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of rural crime on farming communities.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government what is being done to tackle hare coursing and rural crime”