Speeches – Page 39 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Guildford takes part in debate on the wide ranging effects of climate change

The Bishop of Guildford spoke in a debate about adapting to the impacts that climate change will have on health, the economy, food security, and the environment on 24th July 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, I too am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Krebs, for this timely debate and very much look forward to the maiden speech of the noble Earl, Lord Russell.

The Church Commissioners and the Church of England Pensions Board have recently taken the decision to divest from fossil fuels following insufficient progress towards meeting the targets set by their investment boards in 2018. As the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of Canterbury put it:

“We have long urged companies to take climate change seriously, and specifically to align with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and pursue efforts to limit the rise in temperature to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels … Some progress has been made, but not nearly enough. The Church will follow not just the science, but our faith—both of which call us to work for climate justice”.

Bishop of Exeter leads debate on the housing crisis in rural and coastal communities

On 24th July, the Bishop of Exeter tabled a question for short debate on the need to address housing issues in rural and coastal communities:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask His Majesty’s Government what their plans are to address the housing crisis in rural and coastal communities.

My Lords, as bishop with pastoral care of one of the largest rural dioceses in England that boasts not one but two coastlines, I have become concerned about the escalating housing crisis in rural and coastal communities. If this is the true situation in Devon, I suspect it will be true for other parts of England, which is why I am encouraged by the number of colleagues from across the House who are speaking today. My hope is that we can distil wisdom that will reshape the housing policies of His Majesty’s Government.

We are all familiar with the problems of affordability caused by the chronic housing shortage that is having a disproportionate impact on people with low incomes. The Government, as they have admitted today, are falling woefully short of their own homebuilding target and, as a result, people are suffering, because they have nowhere to call home. Their health is diminished and community spirit is being eroded. In coastal and rural areas, particularly in tourist hotspots, the situation is compounded by second home ownership, holiday rentals and Airbnb lettings.

Bishop of Oxford takes part in debate on development of advanced Artificial Intelligence

On 24th July 2023, the Bishop of Oxford spoke in a debate about the ongoing development of advanced artificial intelligence, associated risks and potential approaches to regulation within the UK and internationally:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, I declare my interest as a member of two recent select and scrutiny committees on AI, and as a founding board member of the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation.

Together with others, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Ravensdale, on this debate, and it is a pleasure to follow the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Houghton.

We are at a pivotal moment in the development of AI. As others have said, there is immense potential for good and immense potential for harm in the new technologies. The question before us is not primarily one of assessing risk and developing regulation. Risk and regulation must both rest on the foundation of ethics. My fundamental question is: what is the Government’s view on the place of ethics within these debates, and the place of the humanities and civil society in the development and translation of ethics?

Bishop of St Alban speaks in debate on access to healthcare in rural areas

The Bishop of St Albans spoke in a debate on emergency healthcare in rural areas on 20th July 2023, stressing the need for social support as well as medical resources:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Armstrong of Hill Top, not only for chairing this committee and producing an excellent report but on now bringing it to your Lordships’ committee for us to debate. I declare my interest as president of the Rural Coalition and a vice-president of the LGA.

I associate myself with the noble Baroness’s concerns that a subject of such huge importance has so few people speaking on it. I understand the problems, but I encourage His Majesty’s Government, the Whips and so on to look at how we can give such topics the time they deserve.

I have long expressed my concern about healthcare in England, particularly in rural areas, so I read this report with great interest. I have seen the strain on emergency care in my own diocese of St Albans, which covers Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. In Hertfordshire, category 1 ambulance calls—those reserved for the most life-threatening injuries—were responded to in just under 12 minutes, on average, well above the national average of seven minutes.

Illegal Migration Bill: Archbishop of Canterbury speaks on motion to ensure scrutiny of government migration policy

On 17th July 2023, during the final day of debate on the Illegal Migration Bill, the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke on his motion J1, which would aim to ensure that government policy on migration is considered and debated by the House of Commons and the House of Lords in the future. The motion was not taken to a vote:

The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: My Lords, I will speak very briefly to Motion J1. The amendment put forward under Motion J1 aims to ensure that, not only now but in the future, the Government’s policy is examined. As the Minister said, the current Government’s concentration is on international co-operation and working, although with some hesitation at times, with groups such as the UNHCR and others internationally. The amendment would ensure that that strategy—the way the Government are working—and the context in which migration is being considered are brought in front of both Houses, simply for a debate, with an analysis of the situation by the Government.

The Minister has said very clearly that he does not wish this to happen on the grounds that it is being done now, but this Bill is not about today. It will shortly be an Act, and when it is an Act it will last years—it may last many years. Who knows what will happen in elections in the future, whether they are next year, in 10 years or whenever? We cannot guarantee what kind of Government there will be at that time. That is why we have Acts of Parliament and a system of law which requires changes in the case that people wish to change the way in which this country operates.

Illegal Migration Bill: Bishop of Bristol tables motion to limit detention of vulnerable migrant children

On 17th July 2023, the House of Lords debated the Illegal Migration Bill in the final day of the report stage. The Bishop of Bristol spoke in support of her motion E1, which would amend the bill to ensure that children could not be held in detention for longer than 120 hours, or for longer than a maximum of a week with authorisation of a Minister of the Crown:

The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, I shall speak to Motion E1. This Motion, as with Motion D1, concerns vulnerable children being deprived of their freedom—in this case, those accompanied children. I am disappointed that, regardless of the strength of opinion across this Chamber, the Government are still not proposing to set limits on the detention of children in the Bill, whether they are accompanied or unaccompanied. Despite the comments of the Minister about the possibility of fake families earlier in the debate, I wish to press the point.

Levelling-up & Regeneration Bill: Bishop of Chichester supports amendment on local authority budgets

On 13th July 2023, the House of Lords debated the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill in the second day of the report stage. The Bishop of Chichester spoke in the debate, in support of an amendment intended to ensure that local authorities have appropriate budgets to meet their funding commitments:

The Lord Bishop of Chichester: My Lords, I wish to speak in support of Amendment 63, which I had understood was tabled in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Taylor, but to which the noble Baroness, Lady Hayman, spoke. I speak having consulted with my colleague the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Bristol, who has been doing some work in this area.

It seems entirely right and logical that the methodology used for allocating funds for a local authority is based on the most up-to-date information. As has been outlined, the current mechanism of allocating funds does not respond to local needs or local data and often seems to rely on data that is out of date. This will simply act as a barrier to the crucial role local government has to play in ensuring that people can receive the services and support they need, no matter where they live. These services, from collecting bins and filling potholes to providing much-needed support for low-income households and preventing homelessness—core business—have a considerable impact on the wellbeing and welfare of families and households who may be struggling to get by, and in turn affect the fabric of our communities.

Illegal Migration Bill: Archbishop of Canterbury presses amendment urging government to establish plan for tackling refugee crises and human trafficking

On 12th July 2023, the Archbishop of Canterbury moved his motion Y1 in response to a Commons amendment to the Illegal Migration Bill. Motion Y1 would retain the Archbishop’s amendment to the bill that would require a government commitment to the development of a 10 year strategy for tackling refugee crises and human trafficking:

The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble and learned Lord, Lord Bellamy, and to the noble Lord, Lord Coaker, for what he said. Like him, I will be brief.

Immigration and asylum, as the long series of debates on this Bill has shown, is an extraordinarily divisive issue. Speaking as someone who has been deeply embedded in east Kent for more than a decade now, I know from experience the extent to which communities are divided and individuals are torn between their desire to do what they know is right and care for those arriving, and their apprehension about the impact on local communities. One understands both those feelings very well.

Illegal Migration Bill: Bishop of Manchester tables motions to limit detention of children and ensure safe accommodation

During a debate on Commons Amendments to the Illegal Migration Bill on 12th July 2023, the Bishop of Manchester spoke in support of his motion K1, which would include an amendment to limit the amount of time a child could be kept in detention under the bill, and his motion N2, on safe accommodation for unaccompanied children:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Dubs, for his support for my Motion K1, even though I suspect we would both prefer his stronger Motion. I also welcome the government amendments that would allow an unaccompanied child to seek bail after eight days if they have been detained for removal.

I struggle to see why similar rules should not apply to all children. Hence, Motion K1 seeks to rectify the unreasoned omission of children who are with their families. It proposes a 24-hour extension to the current statutory 72-hour time limit for detention of children with families. Hence, the detention of these children would not be indefinite but be for no more than 96 hours or, if a Minister personally approved it, for no more than seven days. This seems a fair and reasonable change and I urge the Government to seriously reflect on it. I really cannot see that it is morally justified not to have equal provisions for children with families and those who are alone; one child is not different from another.

Illegal Migration Bill: Bishop of Manchester tables motion to maintain safeguards for unaccompanied children

On 12th July 2023, the House of Lords debated Commons amendments to the Illegal Migration Bill. The Bishop of Manchester spoke in support of motion A1, moved by Baroness Chakrabarti, to insert a new clause into the bill which would stipulate that the UK must abide by international obligations, and in support of his motion U1, which would propose that removal of putative children should be delayed until judicial review of disputed age assessments had been completed:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I support Motion A1 but will speak more particularly to Motion U1 in my name, to which the noble Baroness just referred. It proposes that if an age-assessment judicial review is in progress, removal should be delayed until its completion. I welcome comments from Ministers that those subject to an age dispute will be accommodated in an age-appropriate setting here in the UK, but can the Minister confirm that will be the case in a third country? Will Rwanda, for example, be informed that a young person is subject to an age dispute, and will the Rwandan Government then be required by the UK to keep that person separate from other adult residents and to supervise them properly as a child until the courts have made a judgment?

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: