Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons
The Bishop of Derby received the following written answer on 17th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Derby asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have, if any, to extend the remit of the Minister for Women and Equalities specifically to include girls’ wellbeing.
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The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 16th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what conversations they have had with heritage and faith communities about zero-rating VAT on repairs to listed buildings; and what assessment they have made of potential implications for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.
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The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 16th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to publish the number of UK citizens in prison abroad as a matter of routine
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about status of prisoners in the UK and overseas”The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on protection of refugees from Syria, particularly those in minority groups, following a government statement on the recent regime change in the country:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, although Governments might learn a lot about not establishing red lines in other countries where we then breach them, which we have done with Putin and, particularly, in Syria with chemical weapons, it is clearly too early to know how Russia will respond to this. We know that it has withdrawn some of its naval fleet, but we do not know what the immediate future holds in Putin’s mind. These are early days—I am glad to hear in the Statement that asylum claims have been suspended, as it were, for the time being—but can the Minister give any guarantee that nobody will be returned to Syria before we are clearer about what they might be going back to, especially if they belong to a minority, and that proper hearings will still be held so that justice is done for some very vulnerable people?
Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks about return of refugees to Syria”The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on protection of agricultural land from flooding on 12th December 2024, during a discussion on the government’s new planning reforms:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I welcome many of the announcements from the Government today in the NPPF, especially on flooding-risk policy. However, I am concerned about the protection of agricultural land, not least around the vital need to keep the highest levels of food security in this country. Therefore, why was the decision made not to include in the NPPF explicit protection of the best and most versatile land?
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The Bishop of St Albans took part in a debate on tackling domestic violence on 12th December 2024, welcoming the government’s strategy of halving violence against women and girls in a decade:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I too thank the noble Baroness, Lady Chisholm of Owlpen, for securing this debate and pay tribute to her work in this House. This is such a fundamental, important area for us to address.
I commend the Government on their ambition to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. It demonstrates a commitment to tackling this scourge, and we must do all we can to take a stand against gender-based violence. The voices of men and boys are fundamental in this.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans speaks in debate on tackling domestic violence”The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on housebuilding targets in rural areas on 13th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, if the potential of rural exception sites were to be fully realised, it would make a transformative change for small rural communities, not least in providing the additional affordable housing that is desperately needed. It is frustrating because just before I came in I was trying to read the NPPF response to the consultation but I could not find it. Are His Majesty’s Government committed to introducing a national development management policy for rural exception sites?
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about housebuilding in rural areas”The Bishop of Chelmsford received the following written answers on 12th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford asked His Majesty’s Government:
The Bishop of Sheffield asked a question on ensuring vulnerable children with SEND on 11th December 2024, such as those in the Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller community, and those living in extreme poverty, are able to fully access SEND services:
The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, despite significant progress in the identification of pupils with SEND in recent years, some groups remain significantly underrepresented in accessing a formal diagnosis and acquiring an EHCP. Looked-after children as well as those experiencing the most severe poverty and those who belong to Romany, Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities face particularly serious barriers. What steps will the Government take to ensure that the most vulnerable children with SEND are better served?
Continue reading “Bishop of Sheffield asks about access to SEND services for vulnerable children”The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 11th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the preservation of historic places of worship if the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme is not extended after March 2025.
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