Category: Speeches

Speeches delivered in debates in the Lords and Commons

Bishop of London takes part in debate to mark Holocaust Memorial Day

The Bishop of London spoke in a debate to mark Holocaust Memorial Day on 2nd February 2024, on the themes of the fragility of freedom and the need to challenge prejudice in all forms:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I start by thanking noble Lords for their contributions to this debate, and in particular those to whom the Holocaust and anti-Semitism continue to give deep, personal pain. I know that not only speaking in but listening to this debate will cause them greater concern and pain, so I thank them so much. It is a particular honour to follow the noble Lord, Lord Dubs, and the noble Baroness, Lady Anderson, whom I thank so much for what they said.

Last week, it was my privilege to be at the ceremony for Holocaust Memorial Day at the Guildhall in the City, along with a number of noble Lords. Those who were there could not help but be moved by the stories that people recalled. We recalled the murder of so many people in not only the Holocaust but the other genocides since: Darfur, Rwanda, Bosnia and Cambodia, to name but a few: each person loved; each person known; each person missed and each person grieved for. Their loss makes the world a poorer place, even decades later.

Continue reading “Bishop of London takes part in debate to mark Holocaust Memorial Day”

Bishop of St Albans highlights risks posed by overdue maintenance and repair in UK schools

The Bishop of St Albans spoke in a debate on the safety risks of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in schools on 1st February 2024, raising the potential effects on exam results and the wider issue of a maintenance and repair backlog in UK schools:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Addington, for securing this debate on a subject that has already been raised in this House and is adversely affecting a significant minority of our schools. I pay tribute to those hard-pressed and sometimes overstressed heads, teachers, ancillary staff and pupils who are still having to cope with this on a daily basis; it really is having an effect on the ordinary running of some of our schools across our nation. I think, for example, of the staff and students of St Leonard’s Catholic School in County Durham, who have been extremely adversely affected by this crisis; the pupils are still being taught in temporary classrooms five months on. The DfE announced this week that it cannot make any exam dispensations for the GCSE and A-level students at this school, despite experts advising a 10% boost to grades to compensate for disruption to education.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans highlights risks posed by overdue maintenance and repair in UK schools”

Bishop of St Albans calls for wider access to arts and culture

The Bishop of St Albans spoke in a debate on the contribution of the arts to the economy and society on 1st February 2024, calling upon the government to both fund the arts and ensure access to arts and culture for wider groups of people:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I too am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Bragg, for securing this debate, and I am particularly glad we are debating the contribution of the arts not just to finance and the economy but to society. The arts are fundamental to human flourishing, to expanding our imaginations, to deepening our sympathies and to touching all aspects of our lives that, so often, the merely financial fails to engage with.

Of course, the arts do make a significant contribution to the wealth of this nation, and we are fortunate to be home to some of the world’s leading orchestras, musicians, playwrights, theatres, artists and galleries. In my own diocese in Hertfordshire there is a rapid expansion of studios that are attracting filmmakers from around the world, which is important. But the danger is that we do not give enough time and attention to thinking, “Where are these musicians and artists going to come from, and where are they first going to get the experience of the arts? Where are the ordinary people, in their homes and families, engaging with the sheer delight of creativity?” That is why I find it deeply sad that many young people do not have the access to artistic expression or musical education in their communities, homes, or, sadly sometimes, even in their schools.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans calls for wider access to arts and culture”

Bishop of Durham speaks in support of financial education in primary schools

The Bishop of Durham spoke in a debate on financial education in schools on 31st January 2024, urging that teachers be equipped to teach financial education as part of the primary school curriculum:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I too thank the noble Baroness, Lady Sater, for securing this debate and introducing it so clearly. I declare my interests as stated in the register.

The evidence finds that a child’s attitude towards money is well developed by the age of seven. The foundations of our skills in managing money are laid in these early years. Yet, unlike in the secondary curriculum, financial education is absent from the requirements of the primary curriculum in England. This is seen by 60% of teachers as a key obstacle to its high-quality delivery. Further challenges include training, time and funding. Young Money and City Pay it Forward are examples of external providers supporting teachers with high-quality resources and training.

Continue reading “Bishop of Durham speaks in support of financial education in primary schools”

Victims and Prisoners Bill: Bishop of Leeds supports amendment to ensure competence of translators and interpreters

On 31st January 2024, the House of Lords debated the Victims & Prisoners Bill in the second day of committee. The Bishop of Leeds spoke in support of an amendment to the bill tabled by Baroness Coussins aimed at ensuring that translators and interpreters working in victims services be trained and qualified professionals:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I apologise that I was not able to be present at Second Reading—the day job had to take precedence. I rise to endorse thoroughly what the noble Baroness, Lady Coussins, said in her speech. I wish not to speak to each amendment but to add a bit of heft to what she said. I do not exactly declare this as an interest, but I was a professional linguist before I went into the Church, so language has been important to me right the way through.

We heard in the Minister’s response earlier that victims must get the information they need. They also must get it in a form they are able to read, or hear, and understand. In this country language is often misunderstood or not taken as seriously as it ought to be, or as one might find in some countries in continental Europe, for example, where you live on boundaries and have to operate in a number of languages. Because we are an island nation, this is something we do not necessarily experience.

Continue reading “Victims and Prisoners Bill: Bishop of Leeds supports amendment to ensure competence of translators and interpreters”

Safety of Rwanda (Asylum & Immigration) Bill: Bishop of London points out inconsistency with international law and human rights regulations

On 29th January 2024, the Bishop of London spoke in a debate on the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum & Immigration) Bill, pointing out the inconsistency of the bill’s approach to international law, and the potential harm of disapplying parts of the human rights act to refugees and asylum seekers:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I share many concerns about the Bill that have been expressed by many other noble Lords, but I will focus on human rights. What underpins my contribution to the House is a fundamental belief that all people are made in the image of God. It is a belief that is the foundation not just of the Christian faith but of many other faiths and religions. People have an inherent immeasurable value and deserve dignity and respect. In the Bill, unfortunately, the value of people is consistently maligned. For example, the Bill decides who is and is not entitled to human rights. Has history not taught us the risk of that?

It is an odd situation that we find ourselves in when it feels necessary to state in your Lordships’ House that the Government should obey the law, yet the Minister has stated on the face of the Bill that he is unable to say that the measures within it are compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. Clause 3 disapplies sections of our Human Rights Act and Clause 1(6) lists great swathes of international law that will be contravened to pass the Bill. As many noble Lords have said, it is illogical that the Government are disregarding international law while relying on Rwanda’s compliance with it to assure us it is safe. That is not a mark of global leadership.

Continue reading “Safety of Rwanda (Asylum & Immigration) Bill: Bishop of London points out inconsistency with international law and human rights regulations”

Safety of Rwanda (Asylum & Immigration) Bill: Bishop of Durham questions support for refugees available in Rwanda and raises risks of modern slavery

On 29th January 2024, the House of Lords debated the the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum & Immigration) Bill. The Bishop of Durham spoke in the debate, questioning, based on his experience of the country through his role as Bishop, whether Rwanda would be able to adequately support refugees relocated from the UK, and highlighting the risks to refugees in the country, particularly in terms of modern slavery:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I declare my interests as laid out in the register. I stand in agreement with the arguments already made regarding the domestic constitutional, international standing and human rights concerns surrounding this Bill. I echo the belief that we should not outsource our moral and legal responsibilities to refugees and asylum seekers. However, today I hope to bring some insight to this debate through my own experience of Rwanda.

Rwanda is a country that I love. It is a country that I have travelled to on 20 occasions since 1997. I have observed the amazing transformation of Kigali and some aspects of the whole nation. My visits take me to rural villages, small towns and cities, not simply the glamour of a great international city. I have had the privilege of becoming friends with many local people whom I have met and stayed with there. The conversations I had there last August further led me to conclude that this policy will simply not work.

Continue reading “Safety of Rwanda (Asylum & Immigration) Bill: Bishop of Durham questions support for refugees available in Rwanda and raises risks of modern slavery”

Safety of Rwanda (Asylum & Immigration) Bill: Archbishop of Canterbury raises concerns over potential damaging impact of legislation

The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke in a debate on the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum & Immigration) Bill on 29th January 2024, expressing concern that the legislation would be damaging to the UK in outsourcing asylum to another country, calling on the government to establish a wider strategy for refugee policy and to lead internationally on this:

The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: My Lords, in almost every tradition of global faith and humanism around the world, the dignity of the individual is at the heart of what is believed. In the Christian tradition, we are told to welcome the stranger. Jesus said:

“I was a stranger and you invited me in”.

In numerous places in the Old Testament and the New, the commands of God are to care for the alien and stranger. It has already been said, and I agree, that the way that this Bill and its cousin, which we debated in the summer, work is by obscuring the truth that all people, asylum seekers included, are of great value. We can, as a nation, do better than this Bill.

Continue reading “Safety of Rwanda (Asylum & Immigration) Bill: Archbishop of Canterbury raises concerns over potential damaging impact of legislation”

Bishop of Newcastle speaks in debate on conflict in Ukraine

The Bishop of Newcastle took part in a debate on the current conflict in Ukraine on 26th January 2024, asking about the government’s planning for future conflict scenarios:

The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, it is very good to be able to participate in this debate. I acknowledge the collective wisdom in this Chamber and the contributions of noble Lords in the preceding speeches. I pay particular tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Camoys, and congratulate him on his most excellent maiden speech, especially his reminder to look up and look out. I also thank the Minister for bringing this debate today.

This is not the time for platitudes and what could be construed as naive statements about hope. Evil and indeed illegal acts that lead to immense suffering demand decisive response. We know also that there is potential for and actual massive cultural damage in conflict, including the destruction of religious sites and a clamping down on the freedom of religion and belief. These and other matters in the Ukraine war require continued engagement and response. Ukraine depends entirely on money and weaponry from the West and our support in this is vital.

Continue reading “Bishop of Newcastle speaks in debate on conflict in Ukraine”

Bishop of Norwich welcomes sustainable farming incentives

On 25th January 2024, the Bishop of Norwich spoke in a debate on sustainable farming, welcoming the sustainable farming incentive scheme and calling for a new regulatory framework around nature protection:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow a fellow tree planter, the noble Lord, Lord Robathan. I give a tree to every person I confirm as a sign of the care of God’s creation. I am grateful to the noble Earl, Lord Caithness, for securing this debate. I declare an interest as a member of Peers for the Planet and as a Church Commissioner.

Landowners and conservationists with whom I have spoken have broadly welcomed the changes to the sustainable farming incentive, not only the increased payment rates, which make uptake more attractive, but the new areas of action, the increased flexibility and the promise of a simpler, clearer and faster application service. Let us hope it does what is says on the new, streamlined tin. This better-rounded and more holistic agri-environmental scheme in England will undoubtedly see a greater uptake across all agricultural sectors. The tools are certainly in place to help deliver both sustainable food production and nature recovery.

In particular, I welcome the new emphasis on soil health. Being under our feet, we too often forget it, but soil is perhaps our greatest natural asset and the key to so much nature recovery. I am glad that the noble Baroness, Lady Bennett of Manor Castle, shares my enthusiasm for soil. Healthy soil supports a range of environmental, economic and societal benefits. These include food production, climate change mitigation and increased biodiversity. These vital soil functions are at risk from poor soil management or inappropriate land use, leading to soil degradation, soil compaction and soil erosion from wind and water. Ecological breakdown of our soils together with climate change are perhaps the primary threats to food security.

Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich welcomes sustainable farming incentives”