Bishop of Gloucester speaks on the criminal justice system during debate on “Love Matters” report of the Families & Households Commission

The Bishop of Gloucester spoke in the Archbishop of Canterbury’s debate on families on 8th December 2023, focusing on the criminal justice system and its effects on families:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I will try to do even better than 10 minutes. I am grateful to my most reverend friend the Archbishop of Canterbury for putting forward this Motion. I should like to focus my remarks on families and children in relation to the criminal justice system, and particularly imprisonment, and I declare an interest as Anglican Bishop for Prisons in England and Wales.

Jesus Christ once placed a child front and centre as he taught his listeners. I want to use that image simply to pose the idea that we would navigate things differently, we would see different sorts of manifestos committed to the long-term and make better policies if the child were always the central focus and starting point for all our policy-making. It seems that so much of government policy is focused on short-term fixing for the now or a few years’ time. What would it look like if policy and legislation were shaped in response to the child born today into a network of relationships, and then their life as an adult in 20 or 30 years’ time?

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Bishop of Durham speaks in debate on the work of the Families & Households Commission

On 8th December 2023, The Bishop of Durham spoke in the Archbishop of Canterbury’s debate on families, mentioning the importance of preparation when entering marriage, and the need for supportive and strong communities:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I thank the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of Canterbury for holding this debate on a matter that is foundational to not only the well-being of us as individuals but the whole of society. I should obviously declare my interest as co-chair of the commission that produced the report. I also thank him for the privilege of being asked to co-chair it, alongside Professor Janet Walker. It was an honour to work with her and the 10 other commission members in listening and speaking to children, young people and adults from all faiths and all walks of life.

I thank each of the commission members, who generously gave their time and expertise voluntarily to contribute to this. Their work has been invaluable. I also pay tribute to the Children’s Commissioner for England for the way in which she shared with us her work, which took place in parallel. Our conclusions are remarkably similar.

My most reverend friend the Archbishop of Canterbury opened the debate by speaking poignantly on the importance of family. I will speak on what is at the very heart of families, which is relationships. Throughout the commission, we met and spoke with people from across the country. They were people from different backgrounds, ages, cultures and faiths. Despite these differences, there was a theme that echoed throughout all our conversations: the importance of family and loving relationships.

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Archbishop leads debate on support for families and households

On 8th December 2023 the Archbishop of Canterbury led a debate in the House of Lords on the following motion:

The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury to move that this House takes note of ‘Love Matters’, the report of the Archbishops’ Commission on Families and Households.

The opening speech made by the Archbishop is below. More information and a copy of the report on which the debate was based, can be read here.

The opening speech by the Archbishop of Canterbury in his House of Lords debate on families
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Bishop of Worcester asks about impact of new immigration legislation regarding UK’s partnership with Rwanda

The Bishop of Worcester asked a question on the disapplication of the Human Rights Act in immigration enforcement, and the impact of this on clergy visas, on 7th December 2023, in response to a government statement on new legislation relating to the UK’s immigration partnership with Rwanda:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: My Lords, I apologise for being slightly delayed for the consideration of this Statement. My understanding is that the Bill disapplies certain sections of the Human Rights Act 1998 to allow public authorities to operate in a way that is incompatible with international obligations. If that is the case, surely that means disregarding the human rights of people seeking asylum, and I struggle to see what human rights can mean if they are not conferred on all human beings. I will be grateful if the Minister can comment on that. I will also be grateful—as would all of us on these Benches—for some clarification of the status of tier 2 ministry religion visas, in light of the new financial threshold. Perhaps it would be possible to have a meeting about that.

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Bishop of Worcester asks about need for specialised training to recognise mental health effects of financial strain for front line workers

The Bishop of Worcester asked a question on the need for training for front line workers in government and essential services to support and recognise the mental health effects of financial stress and strain on 7th December 2023, following a discussion on the Trussell Trust’s recommendation of an essentials guarantee for benefits claimants:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: My Lords, thinking of the effects of poverty, the Mental Health Foundation has recommended that all front-line workers, including those who work in essential services and government, should be given training and support to know how to respond effectively to the mental health effects of financial stress and strain. Will the Minister agree that this training and support is both vital and necessary?

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Bishop of St Albans asks about regulation of e-scooters and e-bikes following accidents and deaths

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 6th December 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to strengthen the regulation of e-scooters and e-bikes following the 1,080 collisions and 7 deaths in the 12 months to June.

Lord Davies of Gower (Con, Department for Transport): The law is already clear, private e-scooters are illegal to use on public roads, cycle lanes or pavements and rental e-scooters may only be used within trial areas run by the Department. A range of motoring offences and penalties also already apply for using an e-scooter illegally and/or irresponsibly. Users can face criminal prosecution, a fixed penalty notice, points on their driving licence, and the e-scooter can be impounded.

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Votes: Code of Practice on Reasonable Steps to be taken by a Trade Union (Minimum Service Levels)

On 6th December 2023, the House of Lords a motion to approve the Code of Practice on Reasonable Steps to be taken by a Trade Union (Minimum Service Levels). A vote was held on an amendment to the motion, in which a Bishop took part:

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Bishop of Albans asks about efforts to collect evidence of violations of international law

On 6th December 2023, he Bishop of St Albans asked a question on the collection of evidence regarding alleged violations of international law, following a Commons Urgent Question on the humanitarian situation in Gaza:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC has called for the collection of evidence where there are alleged violations of international law. What are His Majesty’s Government doing to help with the collection of any such evidence?

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Bishop of Manchester asks about support for those struggling to obtain mortgages on properties

The Bishop of Manchester asked a question on support for those unable to obtain mortgages for apartments due to issues of building safety, and tackling this barrier to home ownership, on 6th December 2023, during a discussion on falling rates of owner-occupation among people aged 25-34:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, in cities such as mine of Manchester and Salford, in terms of home ownership, many people in this age group aspire to an apartment yet, however many years we are on from the Grenfell fire disaster, too many properties still remain unmortgageable. I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Greenhalgh, for the support he has given to campaigners over the years, yet still people cannot get a property because they cannot get a mortgage on it. When will the Government put an end to this scandal?

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Bishop of Durham asks about medical examinations of individuals detained under immigration rules

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 6th December 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked His Majesty’s Government how many reports under (1) rule 32 of the Short-term Holding Facility Rules 2018, and (2) rule 35 of the Detention Centre Rules 2001, were issued in (a) 2021, (b) 2022, and (c) 2023; and how many led to the release of an individual detained after a detention review.

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