Category: Questions

Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons

Bishop of Worcester responds to government statement on the closure of the UK Interfaith Network

The Bishop of Worcester asked a question in response to a government statement on the closure of the UK Interfaith Network on 22nd February 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: My Lords, I too pay tribute to the work of the Inter Faith Network. As has been stated, surely the optics of this are not good. I would like to ask the Minister how far non-engagement extends, because surely, in our society, we want to encourage dialogue, even with those organisations that may express some views with which we disagree. To not be willing to engage at all with an organisation that has not been proscribed goes against all the efforts being made to bring our society together—it seems very strange.

Continue reading “Bishop of Worcester responds to government statement on the closure of the UK Interfaith Network”

Church Commissioners Questions: Theft from Church Buildings, Asylum Seekers, Same Sex Relationships, and Churches on the World Watch List

On 22nd February 2024, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following answers to MPs in the House of Commons:

Theft: Security of Church Buildings

Greg Smith MP (Con, Buckingham) asked: Whether the commissioners have issued recent guidance to church parishes on securing buildings to prevent theft.

Bob Blackman MP (Con, Harrow East) asked: Whether the Commissioners have issued recent guidance to church parishes on securing buildings to help prevent theft.

Andrew Selous MP (Con, South West Bedfordshire): Before I reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham, may I pass on my condolences, and I am sure those of the whole House, to the family and friends of Alan Wilson, the Bishop of Buckingham, who died suddenly last Saturday?

There is comprehensive advice to all parishes on the Church of England website about how to keep buildings secure, which we regularly update. All buildings used for religious worship are also eligible for the Home Office’s hate crime protection scheme.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners Questions: Theft from Church Buildings, Asylum Seekers, Same Sex Relationships, and Churches on the World Watch List”

Bishop of Chichester asks about closure of the UK Inter-Faith Network

The Bishop of Chichester asked a question on the impact of the closure of the UK Inter-Faith Network on 21st February 2024, following the withdrawal of funding from the network by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities:

The Lord Bishop of Chichester: My Lords, this is an extremely difficult time, in which we hear profoundly disturbing reports of the rise in race and faith-based hate crimes. Tomorrow, the board of the UK’s Inter Faith Network will meet to confirm its closure following the withdrawal of funding by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. This comes at a time when we urgently need to promote interfaith dialogue and the expansion of religious literacy in schools, as has been mentioned, and elsewhere. What assessment have His Majesty’s Government made of the impact of the closure of the Inter Faith Network, and what will replace it?

Continue reading “Bishop of Chichester asks about closure of the UK Inter-Faith Network”

Bishop of St Albans asks about UK-based insurance of Russian oil and products

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 21st February 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent of UK-based protection and indemnity insurance underwriting the shipping of Russian oil and products.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about UK-based insurance of Russian oil and products”

Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asks about funding for coastal erosion and flood defences

The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asked a question on the disparity in funding between managing flood risks and coastal erosion on during a discussion on the adequacy of Environment Agency expenditure on flood defences on 20th February 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich: My Lords, I thought my question was going to be off the point. One of the issues raised frequently with me by those managing the coastline in Suffolk is the disparity between flooding risks, for which the Environment Agency takes responsibility, and coastal erosion, which is managed by local authorities. What assessment have the Government made of the disparity of funding for these two vital activities?

Continue reading “Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asks about funding for coastal erosion and flood defences”

Bishop of Norwich asks about development assistance rates

The Bishop of Norwich received the following written answer on 19th February 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich asked His Majesty’s Government, following the Autumn Statement 2023, what assessment they have made of the suitability of the economic climate to enable them to return Official Development Assistance to 0.7 per cent of gross national income.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Con, Treasury): The government remains committed to returning to a target of spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA when, on a sustainable basis, the government is not borrowing for day-to-day spending and underlying debt is falling.

Hansard

Bishop of St Albans asks about humanitarian aid to Ethiopia

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 19th February 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government how much money was allocated to tackling humanitarian crises in Ethiopia in (1) 2019–20, (2) 2020–21, (3) 2021–22, and (4) 2022–23.

Lord Benyon (Con, Foreign Office): The UK has been an overseas development assistance (ODA) donor to Ethiopia over the last four years.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about humanitarian aid to Ethiopia”

Bishop of St Albans asks about support for persecuted religious minorities in Pakistan

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 19th February 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government whether any UK aid to Pakistan is directed specifically towards supporting persecuted religious minorities; and if so, how much.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con, Foreign Office): We prioritise our aid to achieve maximum impact for the people of Pakistan in line with our strategic priorities, including promoting the rights of religious minorities. Examples include our Aawaz II programme, which is allocated £39.5 million (2018-2024) and brings together community leaders and minority representatives to promote tolerance; and our Hate Speech and Disinformation programme, which works to protect marginalised communities from hate speech online.

Hansard

Bishop of St Albans asks about training on freedom of religion and belief for those in the diplomatic service

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 19th February 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to put in place mandatory training for diplomats on Freedom of Religion and Belief.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con, Foreign Office): In July 2021, the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB), Fiona Bruce, MP, and I, launched the FCDO International Academy’s training module “Religion for International Engagement,” delivering recommendation 11 of the Bishop of Truro’s review of FCDO support for persecuted Christians. The training is essential for FCDO diplomats, and highly recommended for all FCDO staff. The training is also available to all civil servants.

Hansard

Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asks about county council funding

The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asked a question on 14th February 2024 concerning the issue of funding for county councils, drawing on an example from Suffolk County Council and stressing the need for advance communication of finances to allow for forward planning:

The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich: My Lords, may I return to the issue of reforming the model? I have recently been caught up in discussions with Suffolk County Council about funding cuts it was making to its arts programmes. That drew me into detailed discussions about what its priorities were and the challenges it was facing. It said that two things would make a huge difference. The first was knowing further in advance what it might receive; it was looking for a three-year projection. The second was for the groundwork for the reform to which the Minister has been referring to be done now, rather than in the future.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asks about county council funding”