On the 25th July 2018 the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Dr Alan Smith received a written answer from Lord Ashton about Gaming Machines.
Category: Questions
Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons
Church Commissioners: Cathedral Insolvency
On 25th July 2018 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Nia Griffith MP about cathedral insolvency arrangements: Continue reading “Church Commissioners: Cathedral Insolvency”
Bishop of Durham asks Government about families affected by two-child limit on welfare benefits
On 25th July 2018 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received three written answers to questions about families affected by the two-child limit on benefit claims:
The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children published on 28 June by HM Revenue & Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions, of the 70,620 households affected, and not in receipt of an exception, what are the number of households with (1) 3 dependent children, (2) 4 dependent children, and (3) 5 or more dependent children. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks Government about families affected by two-child limit on welfare benefits”
Bishop of St Albans asks Government about meetings with stakeholders on betting machines
On 25th July 2018 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on meetings held by civil servants and ministers with stakeholders on fixed-odds betting terminals:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what meetings civil servants and ministers had with stakeholders between 1 January and 11 July about the reduction in stakes on fixed-odds betting terminals from £100 to £2; and what were the (1) dates, (2) locations, and (3) attendees, of each of those meetings. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about meetings with stakeholders on betting machines”
Registration of Marriage Bill: passes Third Reading and completes Lords stages
On 24th July 2018 the House of Lords passed the Bishop of St Albans’s Registration of Marriage Bill at Third Reading. The Bill has now completed its Lords stages and passes to the House of Commons. Continue reading “Registration of Marriage Bill: passes Third Reading and completes Lords stages”
Bishop of St Albans asks about full-fibre broadband coverage
On 24th July 2018 Lord Fox asked Her Majesty’s Government “how they intend to deliver full-fibre broadband coverage, and what will be the cost to the taxpayer for these improvements.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow-up question:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I am grateful for the ambitious targets that Her Majesty’s Government are setting. I am concerned, however, because the commitment to get universal coverage for full fibre does not seem to fit with the statement on page 8 of the review:
“In areas where it may not be cost effective to get fibre all the way to the home, even with additional funding, other technologies … can also deliver gigabit connectivity. Bidders will be encouraged to explore innovative solutions”.
How does that fit with Her Majesty’s Government’s commitment? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about full-fibre broadband coverage”
Bishop of Leeds asks Government about investment in north of England railway links
On 24th July 2018 Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty’s Government “when they intend to update the cost estimate and business case for HS2 Phase One.” The Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, asked a follow-up question:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, would the Minister agree that there is a problem if you can get up north 20 minutes quicker but you cannot get anywhere once you get there, and that any business case will have to take on board massive infrastructure improvements in the north of England? Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks Government about investment in north of England railway links”
Bishop of Coventry asks why few Christians, Yazidis and Syrian religious minorities have been resettled in UK
On 23rd July 2018, the Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, received a written answer to a question on refugee resettlement:
The Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of why the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has referred so few Christians, Yazidis and other Syrian religious minorities for resettlement in the UK; whether any members of those minorities were resettled in the UK in the first quarter of 2018; and if not, why not. Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry asks why few Christians, Yazidis and Syrian religious minorities have been resettled in UK”
Bishop of St Albans asks Government what it will do to improve UK’s broadband speed
On 19th July the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a question he had tabled to Government abour broadband speed. The exchanges and follow-up questions from other Members can be seen below:
Broadband Speed
Question
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the United Kingdom’s place in the annual ranking of global broadband speed and of the impact of low broadband speeds on the United Kingdom’s ability to compete globally after Brexit. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government what it will do to improve UK’s broadband speed”
Bishop of Southwark says persecuted Christians in Middle East a humanitarian priority
On 19th July 2018 Baroness Berridge asked the Government “what plans, if any, they have to appoint an Ambassador on Freedom of Religion or Belief.” The Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, asked a follow-up question:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I too extend my congratulations and those of the Lords spiritual to the noble Lord, Lord Ahmad, on this appointment. Does he agree that in several countries of the Middle East, where the Christian faith has existed since the time of the apostles—Iraq, Syria and Egypt among them—the scale of persecution renders the condition of the remaining Christian communities one of great humanitarian priority? Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark says persecuted Christians in Middle East a humanitarian priority”
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