Category: Questions

Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons

Paris attacks – Bishop of Birmingham stresses need for community integration

On 17th November 2015 the Leader of the House of Lords repeated a statement by the Prime Minister on the Paris terrorist attacks of 13th November, and the G20 summit. The Bishop of Birmingham, Rt Revd David Urquhart, responded to the statement from the Bishops’ Benches.

Birmingham 171115The Lord Bishop of Birmingham: My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for her repeating of the Statement and, from these Benches, join your Lordships in offering our sympathy for the tragic loss of life and the injuries that occurred in Paris—and, as the noble and learned Lord, Lord Wallace, said, in other parts of the region, in recent weeks.

On the area of ideology, the third of area in the Statement, can the Minister go a bit further? While we make every effort, as we must, to deal with this issue by military power and by counter-extremism measures, the area of ideas is a matter which I ask the Minister to consider very seriously in terms of quite small but important resources, as we try to develop the right relationships in the community that the Prime Minister so wants—not just asking Muslims to argue for a good Islam, but also to join people of faith, or no faith, of all parts in developing right thinking, friendship and deep relationships, which will allow us to move on from this ghastly use of violence into a more integrated society. Will she also encourage us to make a successful integration of the new wave of Syrian refugees fleeing from death in their own country? Continue reading “Paris attacks – Bishop of Birmingham stresses need for community integration”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about security of Camp Liberty

StAlbans171115On 16th November 2015, the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received written answers to questions about the security of Camp Liberty in Iraq.

Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recent missile attacks on Camp Liberty in Iraq. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about security of Camp Liberty”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about contingency for farmers experiencing cash-flow problems

On 10th November 2015 Lord Willoughby de Broke asked Her Majesty’s Government “what percentage of the basic farm payment they expect to pay to qualifying farmers by the end of the year.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a supplementary question.

Bishop of St AlbansThe Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for referring to the way the Rural Payments Agency has turned things round. Despite its sterling work and the assurances of the Minister, there is no doubt that a number of farmers will experience delays in payments under the basic payment scheme. In light of that, what are Her Majesty’s Government doing to put in place contingency plans to help those farmers who could go out of business simply because of cash-flow problems if payments do not come through on time? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about contingency for farmers experiencing cash-flow problems”

Bishop of Southwark asks Government about progress towards a private sponsorship scheme for Syrian refugees

On 9th November 2015 Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty’s Government “how many refugees have entered the United Kingdom under the vulnerable persons relocation scheme for Syrian nationals, and what, if any, are the advantages of that scheme as compared to entry under normal immigration regulations.” The Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, asked a follow-up question on progress towards implementing a private sponsorship scheme for refugees. 

BishSouthwarktaxcreditsThe Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, how close are Her Majesty’s Government to announcing the details of a third route in addition to the two mentioned in the noble Lord’s Question—namely, the introduction of a private sponsorship scheme, in which many faith and community groups have expressed strong interest? This would enable faith communities to work in partnership with the Government and reflects a desire to do this, as expressed by the Bishops in their recent letter to the Prime Minister. Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks Government about progress towards a private sponsorship scheme for Syrian refugees”

Bishop of Sheffield asks about the Government’s counter extremism strategy

On the 5th November Lord Pearson of Rannoch asked Her Majesty’s Government “whether, as part of their counter-extremism strategy, they will encourage a national debate about the nature of Islam, including whether the Muslim tenet of abrogation remains valid today.” The Bishop of Sheffield, Rt Revd Steven Croft, asked if the Government planned for education and faith dialogue to form part of the strategy. Lord Ahmad responded for the Government highlighting the work of the Near Neighbours scheme.

14.03.27 Bishop of SheffieldThe Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, I strongly agree with the question raised by the previous speaker and the Minister’s reply. Does the Minister agree that encouraging education and dialogue across a broad front should be a key part of our strategy, including: encouraging relationships not only between the faith communities but between all the faith communities and civil society; encouraging agencies such as the Islamic Society of Britain—which does such powerful good work in education in schools and other areas; raising the levels of religious literacy at all levels; further analysis of why people of faith do, in a minority of cases, resort to violence; and building on the excellent work of the noble Lord, Lord Sacks, in his recent book Not in God’s Name? Continue reading “Bishop of Sheffield asks about the Government’s counter extremism strategy”

Church Commissioner Questions – Women bishops, funeral poverty, employment tribunal, carbon footprint, WW2 Civilian Memorials

On the 5th November 2015 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered oral questions in the House of Commons on: women bishops, funeral poverty, the tribunal case of Jeremy Pemberton, the Church’s carbon footprint and a memorial day for civilian casualties of the Second World War. A full transcript is below.

Caroline SpelmanChurch Commissioners

The right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners was asked—

Women Bishops

1. Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab): What assessment she has made of the effect of the introduction of the first woman bishop to the Lords Spiritual on the Church of England; and if she will make a statement. [902007] Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions – Women bishops, funeral poverty, employment tribunal, carbon footprint, WW2 Civilian Memorials”

Bishop of Coventry asks about support for interreligious dialogue centre in Vienna

On 4th November 2015 the Bishop of Coventry, Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth received a written answer to a question about support for the King Adbdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna.

Bp Coventry May 2015

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support, financial or otherwise, they have provided to the King Adbdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna. Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry asks about support for interreligious dialogue centre in Vienna”

Bishop of Coventry asks about support for Viennese centre for inter-religious dialogue

On 4th November 2015 the Bishop of Coventry, Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, received a written answer about the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna.

Bp Coventry May 2015The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support, financial or otherwise, they have provided to the King Adbdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna. Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry asks about support for Viennese centre for inter-religious dialogue”

Bishop of St Albans asks about rural exceptions from the under-occupancy charge

On 3rd November 2015 Baroness Quin asked Her Majesty’s Government “whether they have plans to undertake a regional study of the effects of the under-occupancy charge.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked about exemptions for those in social housing in rural areas.

Bishop of St AlbansThe Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, back in 2013 the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee urged that social housing in rural areas should be excluded from the underoccupancy charge, because of the near impossibility of finding alternative accommodation in many rural areas, where it is simply is not available for people to downsize. Already people in rural areas have higher social and housing costs, and there is some evidence that the underoccupancy charge is pushing some families further into debt. Will the Minister tell the House whether Her Majesty’s Government would be willing to undertake a reconsideration of their policy and exclude social housing in rural areas from this measure? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about rural exceptions from the under-occupancy charge”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about support payments to farmers

On 3rd November 2015 the Bishop of St Albans received a written answer to a question about the timing of the government’s agri-environment payments.


Bishop St Albans June 2015Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to have fulfilled the agri-environment scheme payments to farmers, and how they will ensure that delays in making such payments do not happen next year. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about support payments to farmers”