Category: Questions

Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons

Bishop of Rochester presses government to work for acess to justice for all

On 18th March 2015 the Bishop of Rochester, Rt Rev James Langstaff, asked a question in the House of Lords on the Government’s response to a report on access to justice. He followed it with a supplementary question to the Minister. Those exchanges, along with a transcript of all subsequent questions on the same by Peers, are below.

TBishop of Rochesterhe Lord Bishop of Rochester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take in response to the recommendations of the recently published Theos report Speaking Up.

Lord Faulks (Minister of State, Ministry of Justice): My Lords, the Government have noted the Theos report. We carefully considered the matters raised in it, including access to justice, when developing our policy on legal aid reform. The Government have already committed to a review of the impact of the LASPO Act three to five years after implementation. Even after reform, our legal aid system will remain one of the most expensive in the world at £1.5 billion per year. Continue reading “Bishop of Rochester presses government to work for acess to justice for all”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about help for Syrian and Iraqi refugees

On 17th March 2015 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received three written answers to questions of Government about assistance to civilians displaced by conflict in Syria and Iraq:
Syria
Bishop of St Albans
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial and other support has been given, or will be given, to the governments of Lebanon and Jordan to ensure they can keep their borders open for Syrian refugees fleeing the conflict in that country.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about help for Syrian and Iraqi refugees”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government if they have plans to increase the public forest estate

On 17th March 2015 Baroness Royall of Blaisdon asked Her Majesty’s Government “what steps they are taking to protect the Forestry Commission’s stake in Forest Holidays and to ensure that in the event of a sale by the majority shareholder they would not lose all management control of any future development.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a supplementary question:

Bishop of St AlbansThe Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, the Forestry Commission in England is to be congratulated on the significant rise in the number of people visiting our public forest estates, not least as it is against the background of a recent report which suggests that the number of people visiting rural areas has slightly declined. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government if they have plans to increase the public forest estate”

Bishop of St Albans – food security and Syria (Written Answers)

On Monday 16th March 2015, the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received answers to two written questions on (i) food security, and (ii) the future of displaced Syrians.

Bishop of St AlbansFood Security

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recent research from the National Farmers’ Union on the decline in food production in the United Kingdom and its impact on food security.

Lord de Mauley (Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs):This Government is committed to helping UK food producers thrive and expand. We are working with the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and others to support a competitive UK farming industry, including through our £160 million investment in applied research under the agri-tech strategy, as well as the new Rural Development Programme for England, which includes £141 million dedicated to improving agricultural productivity.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans – food security and Syria (Written Answers)”

Church Commissioner Questions – Bishops’ Letter, Church Buildings, Living Wage, Ethical Investments, St George’s Jerusalem

Tony Baldry MPOn the 11th March 2015 during the final House of Commons session of this Parliament for questions to the Church Commissioners, MPs asked the Second Church Estates Commissioner, the Rt Hon Canon Sir Tony Baldry MP, about the House of Bishops’ Pastoral Letter, St George’s Jerusalem, the rural church, faith leaders and citizenship values, church buildings, the living wage, Lichfield Cathedral and ethical investment.

This was the final Church Commissioner questions session for Sir Tony Baldry MP, who retires at the end of this Parliament. Tributes to his work were paid by MPs and by the Speaker.

A full transcript can be found below.

Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions – Bishops’ Letter, Church Buildings, Living Wage, Ethical Investments, St George’s Jerusalem”

Bishop of Chester asks about treatment of non-EU immigrants

On 11th March 2015 Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty’s Government what representations they had received in the past year from organisations dealing with the welfare of immigrants over current immigration regulations. The Bishop of Chester, the Rt Revd Peter Forster, asked a supplementary question.

 The Lord Bishop14.03 Bishop of Chester of Chester: My Lords, does the Government accept that, because the number of migrants who come here perfectly legally from the EU is much higher than expected, the downward pressure from the authorities on non-EU immigrants is onerous, aggressive and leads to the sort of report we have just heard? There is now such a disparity of treatment between EU and non-EU immigrants that it is producing all manner of injustice.

Lord Bates: We have to look at the reason why we have seen pressure on immigration; we have to take it seriously. The right reverend Prelate will recognise that uncontrolled immigration, which we have had in the past, puts intolerable strains on our public services. In this country we rightly have a proud tradition of offering asylum to those who are in fear of persecution and that will continue under the present regime.

(via Parliament.uk)

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about resettlement of Syrian refugees

On 10th March 2015 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Rev Alan Smith, received a written answer to the following question of Government:

Bishop of St AlbansLord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to review their resettlement policy for Syrian refugees in the light of the number who are continuing to seek refuge.

Lord Bates: The Government is deeply concerned about the crisis in Syria, the suffering and hardship it is causing for millions of displaced Syrians in the region, and the strain it is placing on their host countries. Given the scale of the crisis, we believe the most effective way to ensure the UK’s help has the greatest impact for displaced people and their host countries is through substantial humanitarian aid and actively seeking an end to the conflict so that refugees can return to their homes and livelihoods safely. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about resettlement of Syrian refugees”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government to step up humanitarian aid in Tikrit

On 10th March 2015 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Rev Alan Smith, asked a question in the House of Lords on humanitarian assistance for the people of Tikrit, Iraq. He followed it with a supplementary question to the Minister. Those exchanges, along with a transcript of all subsequent questions on the same by Peers, are below. 

Bishop of St AlbansThe Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the statement by the United Nations that 28,000 civilians have been displaced from the city of Tikrit by the actions of Islamic State, what plans they have to increase the provision of humanitarian aid to the conflict area. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government to step up humanitarian aid in Tikrit”

Bishop of Leicester asks about personal independence payments for 16 and 17 year olds

On 10th March 2015 Lord Touhig asked Her Majesty’s Government “how many people are awaiting assessment for personal independence payments?” The Bishop of Leicester, Rt Rev Tim Stevens, asked a supplementary question.Leicester

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, can the Minister tell us how many 16 and 17 year-olds are awaiting reassessment? What action do the Government propose to take to meet the additional needs of that group, including providing support for them through the reassessment process?

Lord Freud: I will have to write to the right reverend Prelate on that matter. I do not have the data on 16 and 17 year-olds so I shall write to him.

(via Parliament.uk)

Bishop of St Albans- Company Pay and Homelessness (Written Answers)

On Monday 9th March 2015, the Lord Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received  answers to two written questions on (i) company pay differentials, and (ii) the impact of relationship breakdown on homelessness.

Bishop of St AlbansThe Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to requiring all listed companies to report annually on the ratio between the pay of chief executives and the median pay of workers in that company.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans- Company Pay and Homelessness (Written Answers)”