Speeches – Page 88 – The Church of England in Parliament

Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of Gloucester supports amendment on impact of domestic abuse on children

The Bishop of Gloucester spoke during a debate on the Domestic Abuse Bill on 25th January 2021, supporting an amendment tabled by Baroness Stroud stipulating that the Bill should consider the impact of domestic violence on pregnant women and their unborn children:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: Following the informative speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Stroud, on these amendments I will be very brief. I simply would like an assurance from the Minister that all age groups will be included in this legislation, and that it will provide support and provision not only for pregnant women and the unborn child but for children of all ages whose trauma began in utero.

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Bishop of St Albans raises issue of housing in debate on intergenerational unfairness

The Bishop of St Albans took part in a debate on a report from the Select Committee on Intergenerational Unfairness on 25th January 2021, focusing on access to and provision of housing:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans [V]: My Lords, the decrease in the rates of home ownership for the younger generation is a major issue and not one of their own making. As this excellent report demonstrates, it is an important factor in addressing issues of intergenerational fairness. For many years, there has been a failure to supply housing adequately—an issue exacerbated by a cycle of stagnation fuelled by low market absorption rates and stalled developments.

The Letwin report suggests that one of the most important reasons for this is that developers will build new homes only at a rate that the market can absorb and that, by diversifying housing products, rates of absorption will increase. However, when I put down Written Questions to Her Majesty’s Government on this topic, never once has it been acknowledged that it might be in the interest of developers to land bank, as increased supply is likely to reduce house prices. While I believe that this has contributed to the lack of supply, I agree that low absorption remains a real issue. However, I do not think that diversification alone will solve it.

Bishop of Oxford takes part in debate on report on tackling intergenerational unfairness

The Bishop of Oxford spoke in a debate on a report from the Select Committee on Tackling Intergenerational Unfairness on 25th January 2021, raising the issues of education, the gig economy, and all-age communities:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford [V]: My Lords, I welcome this key report on intergenerational unfairness and this debate. It is a privilege to take part. I want to focus my contribution on three issues.

The first concerns education and training. I welcome the report’s perspective and recommendations; as others have said, they are even more relevant now. However, as we know, the landscape is shifting significantly beneath our feet because of the immediate demands of the pandemic and the likely longer-term shifts in working patterns created by the fourth industrial revolution. We are sorely in need of creative, imaginative, cross-party and cross-society intergenerational thinking on education for life, not simply for work.

Bishop of Portsmouth takes part in debate on tax justice

The Bishop of Portsmouth spoke in a debate on tax justice on 21st January 2021, pointing out issues in the interaction of national insurance and income tax and the need for the government to address inequalities in the tax system:

The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth [V]: My Lords, I am delighted that my good friend and close colleague the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of St Albans secured this debate. I congratulate him on bringing these reports from Church Action for Tax Justice to wider attention. I urge the Government to assess and act on them.

I particularly endorse the right reverend Prelate’s drawing attention to the often pernicious interaction of income tax and national insurance so-called contributions. The reality is that such “contributions” are no such thing. These are two direct tax systems working alongside each other, but crucially not together, and often unfairly. This is exacerbated when the impact of other taxes, such as council tax, is factored in.

Bishop of St Albans chairs debate on tax justice

On 21st January 2021, the Bishop of St Albans chaired a debate on a reports by Church Action for Tax Justice:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reports by Church Action for Tax Justice (1) Tax for the Common Good, published in February 2019, and (2) Fair Tax Now, published on 4 January 2021.

My Lords, I thank all those speaking in this evening’s debate. I am no expert on tax, but it does not take an expert to see that there are some deeply entrenched tax inequalities. This 2019 report by Church Action for Tax Justice, and its 2021 report, Fair Tax Now, are more relevant than ever, not least with the financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic being felt in all parts of society, and with Her Majesty’s Government’s commitment to “levelling up”.

The proposals laid out by Church Action for Tax Justice seek not to harm wealth generation, but to level the playing field and facilitate a fairer tax system that ensures that those with the deepest pockets do their duty to the societies that provided the context in which they were able to amass their wealth. This is a vast topic, so I will make a couple of preliminary comments and then suggest four of the most important areas that must be addressed.

Bishop of Portsmouth speaks in debate on role of the armed forces in “Global Britain”

The Bishop of Portsmouth spoke during a debate on the role of the UK armed forces in the government’s Global Britain agenda, raising the issue of the Armed Forces Covenant and the need to support the wellbeing and mental health of members of the armed forces and armed forces veterans:

The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth [V]: My Lords, if the Armed Forces are to continue to promote global Britain, we must look after them and fulfil our obligations under the Armed Forces covenant. Research by the Royal British Legion and Poppyscotland points to the difficulties that veterans are encountering in getting benefits assessors to understand post-traumatic stress disorder when scoring health assessments for disability benefits. One stated that:

“I supplied a consultant psychiatrist’s letter stating all my mental health conditions. I scored zero. This is laughable”.

I agree. A government spokesman has said that the report would be given careful consideration, but consideration must be given both carefully and urgently if we are to continue to promote global Britain.

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Bishop of Rochester speaks in debate on UK-EU trade and cooperation agreement

On 8th January 2021, the Bishop of Rochester took part in a debate on the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, raising the difficulties faced by multinational families:

The Lord Bishop of Rochester: My Lords, I wish to address an issue which, despite all that is covered by the agreement, remains, at least in part, unresolved. It concerns the position of UK nationals living and/or working in the EU. I declare a personal interest which will become clear. I am indebted to the Bishop in Europe for briefing me on a range of situations which have a serious impact on UK nationals living in his diocese, which covers 25 out of 27 EU states plus the EEA and Switzerland.

Bishop of Rochester asks about engagement by faith communities in COVID-19 Pandemic response

The Bishop of Rochester asked a question on how faith communities might continue to address the needs of communities in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic on 7th January 2021, and spoke in a debate on the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation and Linked Households) (England) Regulations 2020:

The Lord Bishop of Rochester: My Lords, if any may have doubted the seriousness of the current situation, they had only to watch last night’s BBC report from University College Hospital, or to note that we are once again seeing multiple deaths in care home settings. Along with the Prime Minister’s Statement, it was announced that places of worship in England may remain open. I know that that has been welcomed by some faith communities, although others have already gone largely online. However, all such communities continue to engage with energy in acts of pastoral and community service. In the light of this, would the Leader of the House care to suggest what she and her colleagues would most wish to ask of our faith communities? What further might we offer? I believe that the noble Lord, Lord Boateng, may already have provided part of an answer.

Trade Bill: Bishop of St Albans supports amendment on protection of children online

On 6th January 2021, the Bishop of St Albans spoke during a debate on the Trade Bill, supporting an amendment aimed at protecting children on online and digital platforms:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I will speak briefly in support of Amendment 23. The Government’s proposed online harms Bill will provide a welcome framework to protect the most vulnerable from exposure to dangerous content by placing the burden of responsibility on social media companies. This crucial legislation will better equip Britain to deal with the digital age.

Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of London urges measures to strengthen legislation

The Bishop of London spoke in a debate on the Domestic Abuse Bill on 5th January 2021, welcoming the bill while emphasising the need for legislation to go further in combatting domestic abuse:

The Lord Bishop of London [V]: My Lords, I will add my voice to those who have already welcomed this Bill while also, in the brief time I have, suggesting that still more could be done to strengthen it further. The legislation is long overdue. As others have mentioned, we know that the pandemic has only exacerbated an already dire situation that leaves far too many survivors of abuse without the protections and support they require.

Much in this Bill is welcome, yet I fully support the remarks of my right reverend friend the Bishop of Gloucester and others who have noted that it does not yet go far enough, particularly on children, young people and migrant women. It is a cliché to note that these count as some of society’s most vulnerable, but this Bill is meant precisely to provide support to those whom the system is currently failing. If it fails to support the most vulnerable survivors, it is not yet living up to its potential.

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