Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons
The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on affordable housing in rural areas on 18th December 2024, during a discussion on Permitted Development Rights (PDR):
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, can the Minister tell us what steps her department is taking to ensure that enough of the homes being built under the PDR are affordable for local people in rural areas?
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about affordable rural housing”
The Bishop of Chelmsford received the following written answer on 18th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford asked His Majesty’s Government how many conversations the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs had with farming sector representatives about changes to agricultural property relief prior to the change being announced.
Continue reading “Bishop of Chelmsford asks about changes to agricultural property relief”The Bishop of Guildford asked a question on access to tuition for musicians, especially those on a lower income, during a discussion on music and drama access in schools on 17th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, as a young teenager, I was privileged to play in the National Youth Orchestra, a group which drew together musicians from a wide variety of socioeconomic backgrounds, many of whom have gone on to contribute substantially to the creative arts in the country. Given that music is being squeezed out across many parts of the state sector, what steps will the Government take to ensure that able musicians have access to the best possible quality tuition and opportunity, not least with specialist music schools, regardless of their ability to pay for it?
Continue reading “Bishop of Guildford asks about access to tuition for musicians”The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on human rights issues in Xinjiang, China on 17th December 2024, following a government statement on issues relating to UK national security and the Chinese state:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, we are all aware how complicated it is trying both to maintain our defence and security and to continue to trade. At the same time, there are some profound human rights issues going on. Reports have just emerged that the Chinese Government have demolished an important centre—the Rebiya Kadeer Trade Center—in Urumqi, Xinjiang. What representations have His Majesty’s Government made to support the people there, whom the other place has claimed have been subject to genocide?
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about human rights in China”
The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 17th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government further to the report Hidden Hardship, published by Dr Stephanie Denning of Coventry University in November 2023, what assessment they have made of the need (1) to tailor support provided through the welfare state for people experiencing rural hardship, and (2) to address the lack of affordable housing, public transport, and amenities in rural areas.
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about rural cost of living”
The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 17th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the potential withdrawal of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on the ability of church buildings to host the 35,000 social action community projects operating in Anglican churches across England.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme”
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.
Continue reading “Bishop of Derby asks about girls health and wellbeing”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.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme”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 Church of England in Parliament 
You must be logged in to post a comment.