Bishop of Chelmsford asks about funding for delivery of social housing

The Bishop of Chelmsford received the following written answer on 18th December 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to increase grant funding for social housing delivery to reflect the decrease in the number of planning applications being made, and a probable decrease in the number of section 106 social homes being built as a result.

Baroness Penn (Con, Department for Levelling-up, Housing & Communities): The provision of affordable housing is part of the Government’s plan to build more homes and provide aspiring homeowners with a step onto the housing ladder.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about recent evictions of indigenous people in Kenya

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 18th December 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Kenya regarding the evictions of the Ogiek people and other indigenous peoples in the Mau forest in that country.

Lord Benyon (Con, Foreign Office): The British High Commission in Nairobi is closely monitoring events in the Mau Forest. The Minister for Africa and Development has not raised this issue with the Kenyan authorities.

Hansard

Church Commissioners Written Questions: Energy, Religious Freedom, Church Schools, Heritage Buildings

On 15th December 2023, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:

Church of England: Energy

Mark Pritchard MP (Con, The Wrekin): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Church will have discussions with the Dioceses of (a) Hereford and (b) Lichfield on support with energy costs.

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Bishop of Chelmsford asks for VAT change to help cost of restoring older buildings

On 14th December 2023 the Bishop of Chelmsford asked the following question to Government:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford, To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve the sustainability and quality of existing buildings, including by cutting value added tax to incentivise building repairs and maintenance.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about risk of vector borne diseases becoming prevalent in the UK

The Bishop of St Albans tabled a question on the risk of vector borne diseases such as dengue fever and West Nile virus becoming prevalent and established in the UK on 14th December 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the risk of vector-borne diseases, including dengue fever and West Nile virus, becoming established in the United Kingdom, as outlined in the report Health Effects of Climate Change in the UK published by the UK Health Security Agency on 11 December.

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Bishop of Oxford asks about combatting climate disinformation

On 13th December 2023, the Bishop of Oxford asked about the need to combat climate disinformation, particularly online, in light of recent developments at the COP28 conference:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, I assume the Minister will be aware of the large amount of lobbying taking place, not only at the COP but around the COP through social media. One oil company is estimated to have spent $1.8 million on TikTok videos alone, seen by millions of people across the world, and helping to spread climate disinformation. Does the Minister think the Government should be doing more through the Counter-Disinformation Unit to challenge climate disinformation, given the scale of what is happening and the risk to the world of the failure to curb emissions?

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Bishop of Gloucester asks for assurances on curbing risk of refugee homelessness

During a debate on refugee homelessness on 13th December 2023, the Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on the impact of an inadequate notice period to leave home office accommodation on refugees, and requested an assurance that no notices to vacate would be implemented when severe and emergency weather warnings were in place:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, given what has already been said about the inadequate notice period, can the Minister give an assurance that no notice to vacate will be implemented when a severe weather emergency protocol has been announced?

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Bishop of St Albans asks about underage and illegal workers in delivery services

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 13th December 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Offord of Garvel on 28 November (HL427), whether they have assessed how many (1) underage children, and (2) illegal workers, have been working as delivery riders; and if so, how many of each there were in (a) 2021, and (b) 2022.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con, Home Office): The Home Office does not hold this information.

Hansard

Bishop of St Albans asks about promotion of broadband social tariffs for the elderly

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 13th December 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to increase their promotion of social tariffs in areas of deprivation in the light of the finding that many older people are unaware of social tariffs, particularly in the broadband sector, in the report A constant struggle: The impact of high household costs on older people facing financial hardship, published by Independent Age in September.

Viscount Camrose (Con, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology): The Government has worked closely with internet service providers to ensure provision of social tariffs for those on Universal Credit and other means tested benefits – including Pension Credit.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about plans to encourage payment of living wages for UK employees

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 13th December 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to encourage employers to pay their employees a real living wage in light of the finding in the report, UK Poverty 2023, published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on 26 January, that 11 per cent of all destitute respondents are in paid work.

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