Category: Questions

Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons

Bishop of Chelmsford calls for strengthening of religious education to combat hatred and xenophobia

Chelmsford 251115On 30th June 2016  Lord Taverne asked Her Majesty’s Government “in what way the guidance produced by Dr Satvinder Juss on the implications of the High Court’s ruling in R (Fox) v Secretary of State for Education is “inaccurate” as they have stated.” The Bishop of Chelmsford, Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, asked a follow up question.

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: My Lords, I address the House at this point in my capacity as a lapsed atheist. I make it clear that I welcome the place of non-religious world views in religious education; they are very important. However, will the Minister further agree that one of the best ways in which people can counter the race hatred, xenophobia and misunderstandings that we see in our society at the moment is by strengthening religious education in schools? Continue reading “Bishop of Chelmsford calls for strengthening of religious education to combat hatred and xenophobia”

Bishop of Rochester asks Government about radicalisation and extremism in prisons

RochesterOn 27th & 30th June 2016 the Bishop of Rochester, Rt Revd James Langstaff, received written answers to questions on radicalisation in prisons.

The Lord Bishop of Rochester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they are having with prison chaplains, including those of Muslim and Christian faith, to address concerns about radicalisation and extremism in prisons. [HL599] Continue reading “Bishop of Rochester asks Government about radicalisation and extremism in prisons”

Bishop of Chelmsford condemns hate crime, calls for better religious literacy

On 29th June 2016 Lord Ahmed repeated to the House of Lords a Government statement made in the House of Commons about hate crime. The Bishop of Chelmsford, Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, asked a follow up question about religious literacy and education.Chelmsford 251115

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: My Lords, perhaps I may ask the Minister two specific questions about religious literacy and religious education. First, I welcome the Statement and the responses from the other Front Benches, and of course to express my own great dismay at the incidents that we have experienced in recent days. As I said in the House on Monday, the diocese where I serve includes some of the most multicultural parts of this country. I have heard many disturbing stories, and even more of them here today.

My first question relates to religious education. We have discovered in recent days something that is already there within us and that has been stirred up and legitimised by some of the debate, yet religious education has less of a place in the national curriculum than it used to. I wonder whether this is another opportunity for the Government to look again at the place of religious education in schools.

My second question is about religious literacy. I serve on this House’s Select Committee on Communications. We have recently completed a report on the renewal of the BBC charter. Religious broadcasting has almost disappeared from public service broadcasting, and the BBC no longer has a commissioning editor for religious broadcasting. Surely this is a time when we need to do more about this. It is a very practical matter that the Government could address. Continue reading “Bishop of Chelmsford condemns hate crime, calls for better religious literacy”

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about Free Speech in Universities

Chelmsford 251115On the 27th June 2016, Lord Leigh of Hurley asked the Government “what steps they are taking to counter anti-Semitism on university campuses in the United Kingdom.” The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, asked a supplementary question: Continue reading “Bishop of Chelmsford asks about Free Speech in Universities”

Deprivation: Church Commissioners Written Answer

Caroline SpelmanOn 15th June 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from SNP MP Deidre Brock, on deprived communities.

Deidre Brock (Edinburgh North and Leith): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Church of England will make an assessment of the effect of austerity on communities in the most deprived areas as measured by the English Indices of Deprivation 2015 [40353].

Mrs Caroline Spelman: The Church Commissioners have no plans to undertake such an assessment. Through its network of parishes and dioceses the Church of England is present in all the communities of England. The clergy and people of the Church of England are well placed to hear, articulate and respond to the needs and concerns of local communities. This plays an important role in informing the public engagement of the Church on social policy matters especially at local level.

(via Parliament.uk)

Bishop of Worcester urges Government to work closely with leaders of persecuted Christian communities in Middle East

On 14th June 2016 Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty’s Government “what assessment they have made of reports of the public burning to death, in Mosul, by ISIS, of 19 women from Iraqi religious minorities.” The Bishop of Worcester, Rt Revd John Inge, asked a follow up question:

worcesterThe Lord Bishop of Worcester: My Lords, at the wonderful parliamentary prayer breakfast in Westminster Hall that I attended this morning along with 750 others, including 150 parliamentarians, many of them from this House, we were addressed by Bishop Angaelos of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK. He spoke movingly of the plight of Christians in the Middle East. While I acknowledge that the vast majority of those killed by ISIS are Muslims, will the Minister assure the House that the Government will work ever more closely with the leaders of the appallingly persecuted Christian community in the Middle East, such as Bishop Angaelos, and other religious leaders there in order to learn their perspective on what is happening? Continue reading “Bishop of Worcester urges Government to work closely with leaders of persecuted Christian communities in Middle East”

Bishop of Chester condemns “abhorrent” and “evil” Orlando attacks

On 13th June 2016 Government Minister Lord Ahmad repeated in the Lords a reply to an urgent question to the Home Secretary following the Orlando terror attack. The Bishop of Chester, Rt Revd Peter Forster, asked a follow up question:  

ChesterThe Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, on behalf of those who speak from these Benches, I express our utter abhorrence at what has happened. Indeed, I endorse the Home Secretary’s unambiguous use of the word “evil” about those acts.

I wonder if the Minister could take a little further what the noble Baroness, Lady Barker, has just said about the importance of engaging with the leaders of faith communities to address how we can live in a way that fundamentally recognises the universal human rights in our society from which we all benefit. This is an attack on our civilisation. At root it is a hatred of our civilisation, and anyone who can get to the bottom of that with a united front against it, alongside all the security measures that need to be taken, will really make some progress. Continue reading “Bishop of Chester condemns “abhorrent” and “evil” Orlando attacks”

Bishop of Gloucester asks Government about fostering arrangements for child refugees

Bishop of Gloucester 10On 13th June 2016 Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty’s Government “what arrangements are in place to fulfil their decision to welcome unaccompanied child refugees into the United Kingdom.” The Bishop of Gloucester, Rt Revd Rachel Treweek, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, are the Government working closely with Home for Good, which has several thousand potential foster carers who are willing to assist with welcoming these children at risk? Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks Government about fostering arrangements for child refugees”

Bishop of Rochester raises disproportionate use of stop and search against black people

On 13th June 2016 Baroness Meacher asked Her Majesty’s Government “whether they have any plans to review their drug policies in the light of the United Nations statements at the UN General Assembly Special Session on 19-21 April.” The Bishop of Rochester, Rt Revd James Langstaff, asked a follow up question:

RochesterThe Lord Bishop of Rochester: My Lords, I note the Minister’s disinclination to institute a review. None the less, I wonder whether he could assure the House that in some context or other, attention is being given to such matters as the information in a report by the charity Release published in 2013, which shows that black people were stopped and searched for drugs at more than six times the rate of white people, despite successive crime surveys showing that drug use in black communities is at a lower rate than in white communities? Continue reading “Bishop of Rochester raises disproportionate use of stop and search against black people”

Bishop of Derby asks about the future of DfID funding for civil society groups in Burma

Bishop of DerbyOn Monday 6th June 2016 Baroness Cox asked Her Majesty’s Government “what is their assessment of the current situation in Burma, in particular with regard to the reported continuing military offensives and violations of human rights of the Shan, Kachin and Rohingya people by the Burmese army.” The Bishop of Derby, Rt Revd Alastair Redfern, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, is it true that DfID has decided prematurely to end funding for civil rights groups and civil society organisations that are working cross-border? Given the delicacy of the situation and the efforts to turn it around that have been referred to, should that decision, if it has been made, be reviewed so that we can play our part in helping those civil society organisations to make a full contribution? Continue reading “Bishop of Derby asks about the future of DfID funding for civil society groups in Burma”