On 8th January 2019 the House of Lords heard the repeat of a Government statement on delaying the timetable for a full rollout of Universal Credit. The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, asked a clarificatory question:
The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I thank the Minister for the time that she has given to a number of us. The session that we had at the DWP was very informative and helpful, and I thank her for it. However, I am still confused as to why, when we met the Minister, we were told that these regulations had to be dealt with before Christmas, yet we are still not clear exactly what regulations we will be asked to debate. Can she please clarify that? Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks for clarity on Universal Credit regulations”
On the 8th January 2019 Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked a question of the government about migrants crossing the English channel. the Bishop of Gloucester, Rt Revd Rachel Treweek asked a follow-up question about the right of family reunion and child migrants.
The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, on a slightly different tack, given that those seeking asylum seem to be mainly Iranians, and the number of Iranians seeking asylum in the past two years has been steadily reducing, is work being done to discern whether this is an increase in number or a transfer of route? Is work being done to understand the dynamics of exactly what is going on? 
This week in the House of Lords bishops spoke in debates on the Commission on Religious Education, the treatment of people with terminal illnesses, plastic pollution, arts and wellbeing, Islamophobia, and the work of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. They asked questions on homelessness, Yemen, Brexit, Burma, sanctions on Iran, and university admissions, and a bishop took part in a vote on an amendment to the Government’s Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill. Parliament approved four Church of England Measures, which then received Royal Assent. Parliament rose for the Christmas recess and will return on January 7th, 2019. 
The Lord Bishop of Chichester: My Lords, I am grateful for the clarity with which the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, has spoken and am glad to follow him in this debate. I can speak today with direct experience of the work of IICSA and its handling of evidence. In March this year, the inquiry held public hearings over 14 days in its case study of the Chichester diocese, in which I gave written and oral evidence. As part of that case study, the inquiry has also heard evidence from survivors of sexual abuse. I begin today by asking the House to keep in mind the courage, and personal cost, with which survivors have been willing to share their testimony.
On the 20th December 2018 the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Dr Alan Smith asked a question he had tabled to Government about Yemen and the shortfall in aid needed to resolve the humanitarian crisis.
On 20th December 2018 the Bishop of Winchester, Rt Revd Tim Dakin, received a written answer to a question on university admissions:
You must be logged in to post a comment.