Questions – Page 48 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Norwich asks about confidence in the Armed Forces Covenant

The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on the impact of changes to school fees on armed forces personnel on 5th February 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, as the father of a soldier, I am particularly interested in this topic, particularly where both parents are serving in the Armed Forces, often in different locations. What assessment has the Minister made of confidence in the Armed Forces covenant with this change?

Bishop of St Albans asks about environmental risk of pesticides

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 5th February 2025:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the environmental risk of pesticides used in flea and tick treatments; and what plans they have to restrict their use.

Bishop of St Albans asks about avian influenza research

The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on support for research centres during a discussion on avian influenza on 4th February 2025:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, research is absolutely fundamental at this point as we monitor what is going on and its very worrying effects. What are His Majesty’s Government doing to support centres such as the Animal and Plant Health Agency in New Haw, which is trying to work on this and desperately needs to redevelop its facilities?

Bishop of Lincoln asks about improving mental health provision in smaller and rural school settings

The Bishop of Lincoln asked a question on improving mental health provision in primary schools, particularly schools in small, rural settings, on 4th February 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, the Rural Mental Health report produced in the other place highlighted that

“NHS mental health services are often not fairly accessible for rural communities”,

with services largely centred in towns and cities,

“creating barriers to access, compounded by the limitations and weaknesses of rural public transport and digital connectivity”.

Bishop of Gloucester asks about child maintenance

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 4th February 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government whether they will consider child maintenance as part of their forthcoming Child Poverty Strategy.

Church Commissioners Written Questions: Archbishops Council

On 3rd February 2025, the Second Church Estates Commissioners, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:

Archbishops Council

Danny Kruger MP (Con, East Wiltshire): To ask the Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, how much (a) the Church Commissioners distributed to and (b) was certificated by the Archbishops’ Council under section 2(6) of the National Institutions Measure 1998 in each year since 1998; and how much was granted by the Church Commissioners pursuant to section 1 of the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2018 to the Archbishops’ Council in each year since 2018.

Bishop of Gloucester asks about support for parents struggling to pay child maintenance

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 3rd February 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what (1) practical, and (2) mental health, support is offered to parents struggling to pay child maintenance.

Bishop of Gloucester asks about Israeli military activity in the West Bank

The Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on the intensification of Israeli military activity in the West Bank on 30th January 2025, following a government statement on the humanitarian situation in Gaza:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I am grateful for this Statement and thank the Minister for her sensitive and careful comments. Would she accept that, although the ceasefire agreement offers a glimmer of hope that a different future is possible, the situation in the West Bank continues to go from bad to worse? What assessment have the Government made of Israel’s intensification of military action in the West Bank? The fear held by many, including those on these Benches who have just returned from that region, is that this is a precursor to full or partial annexation. What is the Government’s strategy for dealing with the deteriorating situation in the West Bank?

Bishop of Gloucester calls for inclusion of female Afghan leaders in international talks

The Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on the importance of including female Afghan leaders in international talks on the status of women and girls under Taliban rule in Afghanistan on 30th January 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, these measures are taken by men with an absolute lack of transparency and without any involvement of those concerned, and they are clearly aimed at excluding women and girls from public life. Following on from what has been said, are the Government actively meeting female Afghan leaders to hear their perspectives? Will the UK Government help female Afghans to be part of the international talks so that they are able to play a part in the future of the country?

Bishop of St Albans asks about prevention of illegal beaver release

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 30th January 2025:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to prevent the illegal release of beavers into the wild.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab, DEFRA): This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

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