Bishop of Durham asks about children’s wellbeing

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 25th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Children’s Society’s The Good Childhood Report 2023, published on 20 September, and what plans they have to implement its recommendations to promote the wellbeing of children.

Lord Markham (Con, DHSC): The Government is grateful for the Good Childhood Report and has noted its findings. The Children’s Commissioner’s Family Review covers similar issues and the Government’s response to this will be published imminently.

Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about children’s wellbeing”

Bishop of Durham asks about housing for refugees

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answers on 25th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked His Majesty’s Government, following the High Court ruling that the use of hotels to house unaccompanied asylum-seeking children is unlawful, what steps they will take to end the use of hotels for this purpose.

Lord Murray of Blidworth (Con, Home Office): Hotel accommodation is a temporary means to accommodate the increased number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) arriving in the UK and is only ever a contingency option, not a long-term solution. The high number of UASC arrivals, particularly because of small boat crossings, has placed unprecedented pressure on the National Transfer Scheme (NTS). Out of necessity, the Home Office have accommodated UASC on an emergency and temporary basis in hotels while placements with local authorities have been vigorously pursued.

Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about housing for refugees”

Archbishop of York speech in Lords debate on Israel/Gaza

On 24th October 2023 the Archbishop of York spoke in a House of Lords debate on the situation in Israel/Gaza.

The Archbishop of York: My Lords, I too begin by expressing great thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Ahmad, for the grace, wisdom and fortitude with which he has led us in this debate. I welcome the consensus that I have heard across the Chamber from all sides. Like others, I have learned so much this evening. I also want to echo what the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of Canterbury said earlier: I too deeply mourn and cry out for all those who have been brutally murdered in this conflict and rightly note the duty of Israel to guard and defend her citizens, yet at the same time I cry out on behalf of the innocent in every community and appeal for a peace with justice.

Continue reading “Archbishop of York speech in Lords debate on Israel/Gaza”

Archbishop of Canterbury speech on Israel/Gaza

On 24th October 2023 the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke in a debate in the House of Lords ‘that this House takes note of the situation in Israel/Gaza.’

The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: I thank the Noble Lord, the Minister, for his eloquent and powerful opening speech. In it he set out the complexity of the situation that is being faced. And one of the great dangers of such complexities is we seek to find simple answers, and there are none.

In a recent trip, I got back on Sunday, in Jerusalem, meeting large numbers from both sides, it was perfectly obvious that there were a number of factors that we need to bear in mind.

Continue reading “Archbishop of Canterbury speech on Israel/Gaza”

Bishop of York asks about tackling online disinformation

During a debate on misinformation relating to the conflict in Israel and Gaza on 24th October 2023, the Archbishop of York asked a question on the proliferation of disinformation on X, (formerly Twitter):

The Lord Archbishop of York: My Lords, it is good to hear that the Government are engaging with the social media platforms on this incredibly serious issue. Twitter has most aptly been renamed X, but without irony: one goes into this area with great caution, as it is distressing and nasty. I am told that X is currently laying off people whose job it is to monitor and remove posts that contain disinformation. Given this, and given that we have made progress in looking at social media platforms, what are we doing to require them to do this other than simply engaging with them?

Continue reading “Bishop of York asks about tackling online disinformation”

Bishop of Derby asks about mental health services for young people

The Bishop of Derby received the following written answer on 24th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Derby asked His Majesty’s Government, following the Children’s Society’s The Good Childhood Report 2023, published on 20 September, what steps the Department of Health and Social Care’s Major Conditions Strategy will take to prevent poor mental health and promote wellbeing in children and young people.

Continue reading “Bishop of Derby asks about mental health services for young people”

Bishop of Durham asks about impact of COVID-19 on the charity sector

The Lord Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 24th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of COVID-19 on the number of volunteers in the charity sector, and what steps they are taking to support charities to recruit a sufficient number of volunteers.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con, DCMS): His Majesty’s Government recognises how vital volunteering is for society, reaping benefits for those who volunteer as well as the organisations they assist. The Government aims to remove barriers which prevent people from getting involved.

Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about impact of COVID-19 on the charity sector”

Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham urges access for medical supplies to enter Gaza following bombing of the Al-Ahli hospital

The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on the airstrike on the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza on 19th October 2023, highlighting the need for medical supplies and aid to be allowed entry to Gaza and calling for hospitals to be protected:

The Lord Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham: I am grateful to the Minister for highlighting the very real connections that there are between the Anglican Church and the hospital. The Al-Ahli hospital is run by the Anglican province of Jerusalem, as he knows, and built around the sacred and historic St Philip’s church, which was subject to such an horrendous incident on Tuesday. We grieve with all those who grieve the suffering and the innocent deaths in Israel and Gaza arising from the atrocious attack by Hamas.

Continue reading “Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham urges access for medical supplies to enter Gaza following bombing of the Al-Ahli hospital”

Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham asks about impact of NHS waiting times

On 19th October 2023, the Bishop of & Nottingham asked a question on the impact of long NHS waiting times on children and families:

The Lord Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham: My Lords, the delays in treatment for long-term sickness do not just affect those returning to work but have a secondary impact on family life. Have the Government assessed the effect of these delays on children and young people under 18, who frequently take on additional caring responsibilities for parents with long-term sickness, although this is often detrimental to their education and their emotional and mental health?

Continue reading “Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham asks about impact of NHS waiting times”

Bishop of Sheffield asks about employment support for people with long term health conditions

The Bishop of Sheffield asked a question about support for programmes allowing people with health conditions to find and remain in paid employment on 18th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, one such initiative that supports people with a health condition to find and remain in paid employment is called Working Win. It has been piloted in South Yorkshire, and I am assured that both the DWP and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority consider the pilot to have been a success. What plans do the Government have to roll out this health-led employment programme more widely?

Continue reading “Bishop of Sheffield asks about employment support for people with long term health conditions”