Bishop of St Albans asks Government about progress on reviewing the 2005 Gambling Act

On 1st April 2020 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on reviewing the Gambling Act 2005:

 The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL2887 To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 18 March (HL2292), whether they will now answer the question put: when the (1) terms of reference, (2) call for evidence, and (3) deadlines, of the review of the Gambling Act 2005 will be announced. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about progress on reviewing the 2005 Gambling Act”

Bishop of Durham asks about visa requirements for religious workers under the new points-based immigration system:

On 30th March 2020 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received a written answer to a question on visa requirements for religious workers under the new points-based immigration system:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: HL2680 To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there will be any change to the existing requirements for a Temporary Worker-Religious Worker visa (Tier 5) under the new points-based immigration system. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about visa requirements for religious workers under the new points-based immigration system:”

Week in Westminster, 23rd-26th March 2020

This week in Parliament the Bishop of Rochester and the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous, spoke during debates on the Government’s Coronavirus Bill. The Government accepted an amendment to the Bill to enable General Synod elections to be postponed.

The Bishop of Rochester also asked a question about Government discussions with charities on the coronavirus response.

Government ministers answered written questions on Falun Gong in China, visas for ministers of religion, and nutrition, from respectively the Bishops of Carlisle, Southwark and St Albans.

Andrew Selous MP, answered written questions from MPs on cashless giving to churches, and maintenance of graveyards.

Parliament rose for the Easter recess, to return on April 21st. Continue reading “Week in Westminster, 23rd-26th March 2020”

Coronavirus Bill: Bishop of Rochester praises spirit of collaboration in passing law

On 25th March 2020 the House of Lords passed the Government’s emergency Coronavirus Bill. It then rose for the Easter recess. The Lord Bishop of Rochester, Rt Revd James Langstaff, praised the spirit of collaboration in which all sides had worked to get the Bill through.

Continue reading “Coronavirus Bill: Bishop of Rochester praises spirit of collaboration in passing law”

Bishop of St Albans asks about nutritional values

On 25th March 2020 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on nutrition:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL2452 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what safeguards they have put in place to ensure that protein fermentation products (1) provide good nutritional value, and (2) do not add to existing dietary and food standards concerns.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about nutritional values”

Bishop of Rochester asks Government about discussions with charities on coronavirus response

On 24th March 2020 Lord Dannatt asked the Government “what plans they have to provide additional support to charities working with people who are self-isolating as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic”. The Bishop of Rochester, Rt Revd James Langstaff, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of Rochester: My Lords, the noble Baroness has indicated that conversations are going on between the Government and the sector. I wonder whether she could give us more detail on that and on whether new networks are being put in place in the present circumstances, especially to link not just with the larger charities but with the wider sector, particularly those on the ground.

Continue reading “Bishop of Rochester asks Government about discussions with charities on coronavirus response”

Coronavirus Bill: Bishop of Rochester responds on church closures and care for vulnerable

On 24th March 2020 the House of Lords debated the emergency legislation from the Government to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic. The Bishop of Rochester, Rt Revd James Langstaff, spoke in the debate, highlighting issues to do with church closures, funerals, and care of the vulnerable, including the homeless, and those in prison or immigration detention:

 

The Lord Bishop of Rochester: My Lords, in these days I have been reflecting on the words of the Hebrew psalmist who, at the time of his people’s exile, articulated the question:

“How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?”

In many ways we are entering into a strange land, and indeed in some ways a land of exile: a land in which we are exiled from many of our normal patterns of living, in which people of faith are not able to attend their places of worship and in which many people find themselves having to live life in entirely new ways.

Continue reading “Coronavirus Bill: Bishop of Rochester responds on church closures and care for vulnerable”

Church Commissioners’ written answer: cashless giving

On 24th March 2020 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, answered a written question from Steve Baker MP on cashless donations in parishes:
Mr Steve Baker (Wycombe): 32147 To ask the right hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to change the way parish donations are collected in response to reductions in the use of cash.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners’ written answer: cashless giving”

Church Commissioners’ written answer: graveyard maintenance

On 24th March 2020 the Second Church Estate Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, answered a written question from Aaron Bell MP, on graveyard maintenance:
Aaron Bell (Newcastle-under-Lyme): 32199 To ask the right hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to ensure the maintenance of its burial grounds.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners’ written answer: graveyard maintenance”

Coronavirus Bill: Andrew Selous supports new clause on postponing General Synod elections

On 23rd March 2020 the House of Commons considered the emergency legislation from Government to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Part of the Bill provided powers to delay scheduled elections for devolved and regional assemblies and other bodies. A new clause to extend that provision to the General Synod of the Church of England had been tabled by the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, and was accepted by Government.  Andrew spoke about it during the Committee stage of the Bill in the Commons:

Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire) (Con): I will not detain the House long. I rise to speak to new clause 1, which I understand has been agreed in advance with the Government, and I will move it at the end of this evening’s proceedings.

New clause 1 is very straightforward. It enables the elections to the General Synod of the Church of England to be postponed. Quite recently, we postponed all the elections that we in the House are involved in—the mayoral, local government and police and crime commissioner elections—but the General Synod is the National Assembly of the Church of England, and it is a Church that is episcopally led and synodically governed. The General Synod is a devolved body of this Parliament. It is the first devolved body of the Westminster Parliament and has been since 1919. Synods last five years, just as Westminster Parliaments do. The last one was elected in summer 2015 and therefore would expire this summer.

Continue reading “Coronavirus Bill: Andrew Selous supports new clause on postponing General Synod elections”