Bishop of Birmingham speaks in Lords debate on Chancellor’s Autumn Statement

On 29th November 2016, Lord Young of Cookham moved that the House take note of the economy in the light of the Autumn Statement. The Bishop of Birmingham, the Rt Revd David Urquhart, spoke in the debate:

Bishop of Portsmouth responds to Chancellor’s Autumn Statement

portsmouth241016On 29th November 2016, Lord Young of Cookham moved that the House take note of the economy in the light of the Autumn Statement. The Bishop of Portsmouth, the Rt Revd Christopher Foster, spoke in the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth My Lords, after nearly three years in this House, and having had the opportunity to speak in most of the debates responding to the Budget and Autumn Statements, it is not difficult to note the tendency for some contributors to applaud proposals they consider welcome; for others to criticise proposals they consider to have sectional interest or bias; and to have the expectation—or at least the hope—conveyed that the Chancellor and the Government will, and can, do even more when they are praised for welcome initiatives. I want to do a little of that this afternoon, though recognising the restrictions the Chancellor faces. I invite the Minister, and through him the Government, to reflect on what they ought to do—I introduce a moral note in using that phrase—to repair the fractures of trust, address growing injustices that are perceived as more hurtful than inequalities, and create not just a flourishing economy but a nation where people believe there is more that unites us than divides us. Indeed, my question to the Minister is whether the Government can better articulate their rationale and approach in the important area of inequality and injustice. Continue reading “Bishop of Portsmouth responds to Chancellor’s Autumn Statement”

Bishop of St Albans – need for fresh thinking on corporate governance

StAlbans171115On 29th November 2016, Lord Henley put the Government’s new Green Paper on Corporate Governance before the House. The Lord Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith, contributed to the debate that followed.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans My Lords, I, too, welcome the Statement and the Green Paper because we urgently need some fresh thinking in this area. Those of us who have been following the issues concerning banking standards can see that it is really quite complex. There is a delicate and difficult relationship between legal regulation on the one hand and values and social responsibility on the other. We face a number of problems. We have a disconnect between shareholders and corporations that has become ever more complex and further apart. How can we encourage shareholder engagement in long-term, sustainable business rather than short-term gains? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans – need for fresh thinking on corporate governance”

Bishop of Chester on moving Parliament to the north of England

ChesterOn 29th November 2016, Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty’s Government “what assessment they have made of the case for moving Parliament and central departments to the north of England.” The Bishop of Chester, the Rt Revd Peter Forster asked a follow up question.

The Lord Bishop of Chester Are we quite sure whether the people of the north would want Parliament in the north?

Continue reading “Bishop of Chester on moving Parliament to the north of England”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government to invest in social rented housing

St Albans 2On 29th November 2016, Lord Beecham asked Her Majesty’s Government, “further to the announcement in the Autumn Statement that they will invest £1.4 billion to deliver 40,000 affordable homes, how many affordable houses to rent they expect local authorities to build by 2020.” The Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow up question.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans My Lords, in the financial year 2015-16, the Government’s own statistics show that just 6,550 homes for social rent were completed. That is the lowest number since records began and far below the just under 40,000 completed in the years 2010-11. Would the Minister agree with me that whatever the value of other forms of affordable tenure, only social rented housing is going to deal with the problem faced by the most disadvantaged communities? Will he further tell the House what the Government are doing to address this rapid decline in the provision of this form of housing?

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government to invest in social rented housing”

Church Commissioners’ Written Answer: Dean of Peterborough

On the 29th November 2016 Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, answered a written question regarding the retirement of the Dean of Peterborough.

Michael Fabricant (Lichfield): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment the Church of England has made of the appropriateness of procedures and practice relating to the Dean of Peterborough Cathedral standing down.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners’ Written Answer: Dean of Peterborough”

Church Commissioners’ Written Answer: Bishop of London appointment

On the 29 November 2016 Dame Caroline Spelman the Second Church Estates Commissioner answered a written question from Sir Peter Bottomley MP regarding the appointment of the next Bishop of London.

Sir Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Church Commissioners will make it their policy that the next nominee for the Bishop of London will ordain both women and men as priests. Continue reading “Church Commissioners’ Written Answer: Bishop of London appointment”

Church Commissioners written answer: Bishop of London

On 28th November 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from Sir Peter Bottomley MP about the Bishop of London:

Caroline SpelmanSir Peter Bottomley: To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, whether a Bishop of London has ordained a woman as a priest.

Dame Caroline Spelman: It has long been the practice of the Diocese of London for the Bishop to ordain all deacons, male and female, with Area Bishops ordaining priests in their local community.

(via Parliament.uk)

Church of England Week in Westminster, 21st-25th November 2016

Westminster-abbeyWelcome to the Church of England’s weekly round-up of activity in Parliament.

This week bishops in the House of Lords led a debate about rural bus services, responded to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement and spoke in a debate on adult social care. Bishops also asked questions about conflict in Nigeria and SRE. In the House of Commons the Second Church Estates Commissioner answered questions from MPs on the persecution of Christians overseas, the Red Wednesday campaign, church buildings, anti-Semitism and the Church’s Christmas campaign. She also answered written questions about anti-Semitism and church owned land in Peterborough. Continue reading “Church of England Week in Westminster, 21st-25th November 2016”

Bishop of Ely calls on Government to “make care work a recognised and valued profession.”

On 24th November 2016 the House of Lords debated a motion from Baroness Finlay of Llandaff “To move that this House takes note of the implications for the health and social care workforce of the result of the referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union.” The Bishop of Ely, Rt Revd Stephen Conway, spoke in the debate:

ElyThe Lord Bishop of Ely: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, for bringing this important matter before the House today. The right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Carlisle, our lead bishop on health and social care, cannot be in his place today, but I am glad to contribute from these Benches on his behalf.

The debate brings to mind two principles central to Christian faith and practice: justice for the stranger in our midst and care for the vulnerable. Mosaic law enjoins us not to withhold justice from the outsider. Only yesterday, in conversation, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government sought to check that I had heard the words of Jesus, “Love thy neighbour as thyself”. I am grateful to him. This reminds us that the words of Jesus tell us that every care and service given to others is a service given to God. Continue reading “Bishop of Ely calls on Government to “make care work a recognised and valued profession.””