Bishop of St Albans calls for levy on gambling industry to pay for treatment of addicts

On 5th March 2020 Lord Beecham asked the Government “what steps they will take to support the Gambling Commission to address problem gambling.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, at a time when the NHS is facing such unbelievable pressures from the coronavirus, it is also having to set up 14 gambling clinics across the country to try to deal with this situation. The industry has a gross gambling yield of £14 billion a year. Is it not time to bring in a statutory levy, so that the polluter pays for the damage being caused? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans calls for levy on gambling industry to pay for treatment of addicts”

Bishop of Winchester raises concern about response of universities to student complaints of assault and harassment

On 5th March 2020 Baroness Gale asked the Government “what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the Crown Prosecution Service in prosecuting cases of rape.” The Bishop of Winchester, Rt Revd Tim Dakin, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of Winchester: My Lords, a recent study highlighted that only 25% of university students who had experienced rape went on to report it to their university or to the police. It is therefore of concern that, since 2016, 300 non-disclosure agreements have been issued by universities in response to student complaints, including assault and harassment reports. The Office for Students and Universities UK are working to improve the handling of harassment and misconduct by universities, but can the Minister advise the House when the Government plan to legislate against the misuse of NDAs by higher education institutions to ensure that students are not discouraged from reporting these assaults? Continue reading “Bishop of Winchester raises concern about response of universities to student complaints of assault and harassment”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about recording of gambling-related suicides

On 5th March 2020 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on gambling-related suicides:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL1786 To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford on 13 February (HL1452), what assessment they have made of the potential benefit resulting from the (1) collection, and (2) publication, of data on the number of people who commit suicide for reasons connected with gambling-related harm. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about recording of gambling-related suicides”

Bishop of Carlisle asks Government about recruitment and retention of podiatrists

On 5th March 2020 the Bishop of Carlisle, Rt Revd James Newcome, received a written answer to a question on podiatry:

The Lord Bishop of Carlisle: HL1853 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to (1) train, (2) recruit, and (3) retain, sufficient numbers of podiatrists to meet (a) current, and (b) future, needs. Continue reading “Bishop of Carlisle asks Government about recruitment and retention of podiatrists”

Bishop of Salisbury calls for independent review into Wiltshire Police handling of allegations against Sir Edward Heath

On 4th March 2020 Lord Campbell-Savours asked the Government “what assessment they have made of the management of investigations into historic sexual offences.” The Bishop of Salisbury, Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of Salisbury: My Lords, can the Minister explain how we will learn from the sorts of examples that we have had—for instance, the case of Sir Edward Heath in Salisbury—unless there is an independent review? In the past, we have been told that the Home Office cannot do that and that it is the responsibility of the police and crime commissioner. The police and crime commissioner for Wiltshire says that the police force there was acting as a lead authority on behalf of others. We need to accept that more than 40 allegations had to be investigated. How will we learn unless there is a review, and what can the Home Office do that will help to restore the reputation of both Sir Edward and, I have to say, Wiltshire Police? Continue reading “Bishop of Salisbury calls for independent review into Wiltshire Police handling of allegations against Sir Edward Heath”

Bishop of Durham asks Government about measurement of poverty

On 4th March 2020 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received a written answer to a question on measurement of poverty:

The Lord Bishop of Durham:  To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to adopt the Social Metrics Commission’s measurement of poverty across all departments following the Department for Work and Pensions’ commitment in May 2019 to develop experimental statistics using that Commission’s measurement; and whether they have any further information on this issue. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks Government about measurement of poverty”

Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill: Bishop of Salisbury supports amendments on relationship support

On 3rd March 2020 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill at its Committee Stage. The Bishop of Salisbury, Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, supported two amendments on relationship support, to ensure that divorcing couples had access to information about support and mediation to enable them to consider alternative ways forward before being issued with a final divorce order, and that this resource is funded. One of the amendments was put by the former Bishop of Oxford, Lord Harries of Pentregarth. The amendments were resisted by Government on grounds that they did not consider the Bill to be the right vehicle for tackling the wider issues that lead to relationship breakdown. The amendments were debated before being withdrawn.

The Lord Bishop of Salisbury: My Lords, I rise in support of Amendments 3 and 21 and to provide a brace of bishops. I want to observe the seriousness ​and the quality of this debate as we as a House navigate the support of marriage as an institution and of couples in keeping their vows while recognising that marriages break down and trying to provide adequately for those circumstances. If the noble Baroness, Lady Tyler, is right that support for the relationship support services sometimes depends on the whim of a Minister or Prime Minister, one might hope that the present occupant of 10 Downing Street would take a particular interest in these matters.

On average, the Church of England conducts about 1,000 weddings a week. We have experience of conducting, preparing people for and supporting them in marriages. Quite often, couples that I have prepared say that they want to get married in church because they know that they are standing and making their vows in a solemn and serious place that has significance in the community and before God. They want the support of the community gathered around them.

Continue reading “Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill: Bishop of Salisbury supports amendments on relationship support”

Bishop of Worcester raises concern about devaluing of arts, culture and religion in education system

On 3rd March 2020 The Earl of Clancarty asked the Government “what steps they are taking to improve the provision of arts and cultural services at (1) local, and (2) regional, level.” The Bishop of Worcester, Rt Revd John Inge, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: My Lords, while the provision of arts and cultural services by local authorities is clearly crucial to our society’s well-being, does the Minister share the frustration felt by many of us at the increasingly utilitarian approach taken by schools and further and higher education, which often devalues arts and culture at a time when we know less about what skills will be required in the workplace of the future but we know that the sort of broad vision provided by arts and culture—and, perhaps, religion—will be invaluable? Continue reading “Bishop of Worcester raises concern about devaluing of arts, culture and religion in education system”

Week in Westminster, 24th-28th February 2020

This week in Parliament the Bishop of Gloucester led a debate on early years interventions to help children and families, spoke during the passage of the Government’s Terrorist Offenders (Restriction of Early Release) Bill, and and also spoke in a debate on alternatives to prison custody for women who offend.

The Bishop of Worcester paid tribute to emergency service workers in response to recent flooding.

The Bishop of London asked a question about the affordability of housing. The Bishop of Durham asked a question about funding for refugee resettlement, and the Bishop of Peterborough asked Government about war widows’ pensions.

The Bishop of Southwark spoke in  debate on Israel & Palestine, and the latest US initiated peace plan.

The Bishop of Leeds responded to a Government statement on rough sleeping.

The Bishop of St Albans spoke in a debate about inequalities faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, and received an answer to a written question about the impact of advertising to children.

The Second Church Estates Commissioner Andrew Selous took the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure through the House of Commons, and answered a written question on bats in churches. Continue reading “Week in Westminster, 24th-28th February 2020”

Church Commissioners written answer: bats in churches

On 28th February 2020 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, answered a written question on bats in churches:
Sir Christopher Chope (Christchurch): 19751 To ask the right hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what (a) policy changes and (b) steps the Church of England is taking in relation to the 2019 survey of bats in churches undertaken with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners written answer: bats in churches”