Bishop of Leeds asks about issues of sovereignty in relation to the EU and the USA

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on contested ideas of sovereignty on 1st March 2021 during a discussion on diplomatic relationships with the US, contrasting portrayals of the UK’s relationship with the EU and with the United States:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, notions of sovereignty are clearly contested, even in the way we use the language. Is it time for a public education programme through which the Government can explain why pooled sovereignty with the EU is a deficit for the UK but when it is pooled with the United States, it is seen as a positive?

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Bishop of Oxford asks about new media legislation

The Bishop of Oxford tabled a question on new media legislation in Australia and the potential for similar legislation in the UK on 25th February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford [V]: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the proposed legislation in Australia for a news media and digital platforms mandatory bargaining code, and (2) the case for similar such legislation in the United Kingdom.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about deterring tax avoidance

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 25th February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness in deterring tax avoidance of the policies of (1) France, (2) Denmark, (3) Belgium and (4) Poland, which exclude companies (a) registered in, or (b) linked to, offshore tax havens from accessing taxpayer funded relief programmes.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about re-banding council tax

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 24th February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether current council tax bands in England adequately reflect changes to property prices since 1991.

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Bishops – Offences Against Children

On 24th February 2021, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, gave the following written answer to a question to an MP:

Neil Coyle MP (Lab, Bermondsey and Old Southwark): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what the composition of the (a) Gibbs and (b) Whitsey reviews are; and if he will place non-redacted copies of the reports in the Library.

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Votes: Trade Bill

On 23rd February 2021, the House of Lords debated Commons Reasons and Amendments to the Trade Bill. A vote was held on an amendment to the bill, in which Bishops took part.

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Bishop of Newcastle asks about effects of unsafe cladding on leaseholders

The Bishop of Newcastle asked a question on the effects of removal requirements for unsafe cladding on leaseholders on 22nd February 2021, following a government statement on building safety in the aftermath of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire:

The Lord Bishop of Newcastle [V]: My Lords, many leaseholders in high-rise and medium-rise buildings are currently receiving insurance premium quotes for many times the previous annual cost. Much of the additional premium is a consequence not of cladding directly but of wider concerns regarding fire risk in their building, so removing and replacing deficient cladding will not in itself return premiums to a level of normality. Can the Minister tell us of any plans to make the representatives of leaseholders and the insurance industry agree a joint approach to alleviating this unacceptable burden?

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Bishop of St Albans asks about initiatives to donate to vaccine funds

The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on efforts to encourage initiatives for donation to the COVAX vaccination fund on 22nd February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans [V]: My Lords, approaches are developing that enable individuals to give into the COVAX fund in gratitude for having received their vaccination against Covid-19. How are Her Majesty’s Government encouraging the development of such initiatives? Will they support such approaches through match funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office?

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Bishop of Durham asks about access to COVID-19 vaccines and treatment for migrants

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answers on 22nd February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government what funding has been provided to local authorities (1) to support (a) asylum seekers, (b) refugees, and (c) migrants, to register with a GP, and (2) to ensure that those people are factored into COVID-19 vaccination plans.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about conflict in Ethiopia and Eritrea

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 22nd February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government what representations, if any, they have made to the government of Eritrea to encourage its military withdrawal from Ethiopia.

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