Category: Questions

Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons

Bishop of Durham asks Government about skills, diversity and pay in early years education

On 20th March 2019 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received a written answer to a question on the early years education workforce:

The Lord Bishop of Durham:

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To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Education Policy Institute The early years workforce in England, published on 17 January; and what steps they intend to take in response to that report in particular the need to ensure increased (1) skills, (2) diversity, and (3) pay levels in the early education workforce. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks Government about skills, diversity and pay in early years education”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about gambling by students and young people

On 20th March 2019 the Bishop of St Albans Rt Revd Alan Smith, received written answers to three questions on gambling, students and young people:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans:

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(i) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the National Union of Students’ gambling survey, published on 25 February, that (1) three in five students have gambled in some way over the past 12 months, (2) almost one in ten have used all or some of their student loan to gamble, and (3) four per cent of respondents owed over £20,000 as a result of gambling.

(ii) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the National Union of Students’ gambling survey, published on 25 February, that 29 per cent of respondents were under the age of 16 when they had first gambled.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about gambling by students and young people”

Bishop of St Albans asks if DfID will work with churches on relief effort following Cyclone Idai

On 19th March 2019 Lord Elton asked the Government “what response the UK is making to help address the impact of Cyclone Idai in parts of southern Africa”. The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, such is the devastation that reports are only slowly coming in from some of the most damaged areas. We are hearing reports from a number of the Anglican dioceses in different parts of the Communion and from a number of bishops, including Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, who has launched an appeal and is mobilising people on the ground. Will the Minister assure us that DfID will work closely with those networks and organisations on the ground, such as the dioceses and the Christian communities which have the networks in place and know what is going on locally? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks if DfID will work with churches on relief effort following Cyclone Idai”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about plans to address decline in bee population

On 19th March 2019 Baroness Boycott asked the Government “what plans they have to deal with the decline in the insect population.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, will the Government’s environmental land management schemes specifically have a long-term strategy to address the decline in pollinators, particularly bees?

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about plans to address decline in bee population”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about legally binding targets on air pollution

On 19th March 2019 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on air pollution:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans:

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To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to setting legally binding targets to meet WHO-recommended limit values for particulate matter across the UK, and if consideration has been given, when the targets will be implemented. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about legally binding targets on air pollution”

Bishop of Salisbury asks Government about environmental standards of new homes

On 18th March 2019 the Bishop of Salisbury, Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, received a written answer to a question on environmental standards for building new homes:

The Lord Bishop of Salisbury:

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To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to support housing developers and homeowners to improve the environmental standards of new homes; and what steps they are taking to improve the environmental impact of existing housing stock. Continue reading “Bishop of Salisbury asks Government about environmental standards of new homes”

Bishop of Southwark asks about Zimbabwe rejoining the Commonwealth

Southwark190718On 13th March 2019 Lord Chidgey asked the Government “what progress they have made on building a fairer Commonwealth”. The Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I congratulate Her Majesty’s Government on the usefulness of the programmes outlined on 14 January, not least in education. What steps do the Government of Zimbabwe need to take to secure the support of Her Majesty’s Government for an application to rejoin the Commonwealth? Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks about Zimbabwe rejoining the Commonwealth”

Archbishop of York commends Brexit deal and Attorney General’s advice

On 12th March 2019 the House of Lords heard the repeat of a statement from the Attorney General on Brexit negotiations. The Archbishop of York, Most Revd John Sentamu, asked a follow up question:

The Archbishop of York: My Lords, I have had the chance to study the Attorney-General’s comments and I agree with the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mackay, that the Attorney-General is right. There will always be a legal risk and he would be wrong not to tell us that it remains. But that is the nature of risk. I am told that in Chinese the word “risk” is made up of two pictures—opportunity and danger. We have to look at the opportunities and then the danger, but not always concentrate on the danger. Continue reading “Archbishop of York commends Brexit deal and Attorney General’s advice”

Bishop of Southwark calls on Government to provide more resources for prisoner rehabilitation

On 12th March 2019 Baroness Pidding asked the Government “what assessment they have made of the case for ensuring that prisons are places of rehabilitation.” The Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, given the recent publication by the Ministry of Justice of figures showing a record level of the incidence of self-harm by prisoners, a record level of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and a 29% rise in assaults on prison staff, will the Minister acknowledge that we need not only a major reduction in the size of the prison population but increases per capita in resources on a scale not yet contemplated by Her Majesty’s Government? This would give rehabilitation the priority that many now see as an absolute imperative. Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark calls on Government to provide more resources for prisoner rehabilitation”

Church Commissioners Written Answer: Bishop George Bell

On 12th March the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Frank Field MP about Bishop George Bell:

Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what authority set down in the statutes of the Commissioners enabled the payment of £29,800 to meet damages and costs relating to the case of Bishop George Bell; and what steps the Commissioners took to scrutinise that settlement before they made over those funds. Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Answer: Bishop George Bell”