Bishop of Oxford urges commitment to unilateral action on climate change

On 7th June 2023, the Bishop of Oxford spoke in a debate on a report from the Environment and Climate Change Committee, stressing the need for a coordinated response to the challenges presented by climate change:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, it is a pleasure to be part of your Lordships’ committee under the excellent leadership of the noble Baroness, Lady Parminter, and to present this report and debate it today. Many in your Lordships’ House will have seen the 2021 Hollywood film “Don’t Look Up”, which was written and directed by Adam McKay. It explores the world’s response to climate change through the metaphor of an asteroid hurtling towards the earth bringing destruction in its wake. The scientists and world leaders in the film have a way through the crisis, but only if the scientific facts are acknowledged and the world works together. As noble Lords may know, in the film the world fails that test spectacularly.

Each year brings fresh reminders of the reality of global heating in floods, fires, extreme weather events, natural disasters and rising sea levels. The IPCC continues to publish ever more solemn warnings to the world, including most recently that we are likely to see a 1.5 degree rise in average temperature in at least one year in this decade. The human consequences of climate change are seen in wars, migration, changing crop patterns and the loss of islands and coastal areas. The burden falls most on the poorest and those who have historically used the least in terms of carbon, yet still we do not listen.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about whistleblowing in the Civil Service

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 7th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government how many cases of whistleblowing were (1) reported, and (2) investigated, by the Civil Service in (a) 2020 (b) 2021, (c) 2022, and (d) 2023.

Baroness Neville Rolfe (Con): I refer the Noble Lord to my answer HL7792 on 25th May.

Hansard

Votes: Retained EU Law Bill (Revocation and Reform)

On 6th June 2023, the House of Lords debated the Retained EU Law Bill following Commons amendments. Votes were held on motions to add additional amendments to the bill, in which a bishop took part:

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Bishop of St Albans asks about status of journalists in Sudan and South Sudan

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

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the status of journalists, particularly women journalists, in Sudan and South Sudan.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Con): In April 2023, the UK led the mandate renewal for the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan (CHRSS) at the UN Human Rights Council. The Commission reported that journalists in South Sudan experience severe harassment, including arbitrary detention and death threats, with some going into hiding or fleeing the country. In South Sudan, the UK consistently raises the importance of media freedom with the Government of South Sudan and funded a project with the Female Journalists Network to enhance media literacy skills among civil society women leaders and improve the technical ability of female journalists.

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Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham asks about means of identifying bereaved children

The Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham received the following written answer on 6th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to identify bereaved children in official statistics for the purposes of meeting their needs.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con): The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.

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Bishop of Exeter asks about land use by solar farms

The Bishop of Exeter received the following written answer on 6th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter asked His Majesty’s Government:

  • how many acres of agricultural land which were previously being farmed were given over to solar farms in (1) 2018, (2) 2019, (3) 2020, (4) 2021, and (5) 2022.
  • what assessment they have made of the impact on UK food security of giving over farm land to solar farms.

Lord Benyon (Con): Defra has previously published statistics for the amounts of land changing use during individual years from 2013 to 14 through to 2017 to 2018. The Department intends to provisionally publish similar figures for the three year period 2019 to 2022 using a revised methodology during June or July 2023, however, the figures are not detailed enough to provide the information requested.

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Illegal Migration Bill: Bishop of Durham supports amendments to ensure high standard of “safe” countries

On 5th June 2023, the House of Lords debated amendments to the Illegal Migration Bill on the second day of the committee stage. The Bishop of Durham spoke in support of amendments to the bill tabled by Baroness Hamwee, Lord Carlile of Berriew, and Lord Alton of Liverpool that would ensure that, when removing migrants to “safe” countries, the country in question meets high definitions of safety:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: I apologise that I was unable to be present on day one of Committee and I arrived today rather later than I had planned, so was unable to speak earlier. However, I am grateful to my noble friend the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Coventry for so doing.

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Illegal Migration Bill: Bishop of Coventry supports amendments covering human rights claims

On 5th June 2023, the House of Lords debated the Illegal Migration Bill in the second day of committee. On behalf of the Bishop of Durham, the Bishop of Coventry spoke in support of an amendment to the bill tabled by Lord Dubs which would require the Home Secretary to consider a protection claim or a human rights claim if the applicant has not been removed from the UK within six months of the claim being deemed inadmissible:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, I apologise for not being able to speak previously on the Bill, but I support Amendment 23 in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Dubs, on behalf of the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Durham, who has added his name to this little band, as the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, referred to them. I have been holding back in the hope that he would land, but his aircraft has been delayed.

Of course, it is right that every nation should have jurisdiction over its own borders and the ability to decide who may or may not have a credible claim to reside in the country, but Clause 4 ends any such due process which would consider the merits of an asylum application. By denying those who are deemed inadmissible from ever claiming asylum, as we have heard, thousands of men, women and children will simply not have their case heard, let alone assessed, regardless of how grave their protection needs might be—and regardless of the fact that there is no way to travel to the UK with prior authorisation in order to claim asylum in many cases. That point is made regularly in your Lordships’ House.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about prevention of famine in Somalia

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 5th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Somalia about the prevention of famine in that country; and what future engagements they have scheduled.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Con): In 2022 the collective efforts of humanitarian partners and donors, including the UK, averted famine in Somalia. Despite the reduced famine risk, humanitarian needs remain extraordinary.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about conservation plans under Retained EU Law Bill

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 5th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what are their current plans for exercising powers to be granted to them under the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Repeal) Bill in relation to the Habitats Directive.

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